AKRON, Ohio — Akron Children's Hospital plans to open its second pediatric behavioral health center in Canton in 2023, the hospital system announced Thursday.
The center will be put in the city-owned Cirelli Building at 630 30th St. NW. Canton City Council approved the transfer of the building to the Canton Community Improvement Corporation and ultimately the A. Altman Company, which plans to invest $2.9 million into the building.
Akron Children's will enter into a lease agreement for the space, which will treat children and teens ages 5-18.
“Our goal in bringing this facility to Stark County is not to compete with locally-available resources, but instead to collaborate with existing providers in the county, plugging gaps in available services,” said Dr. Steven Jewell, the Lois C. Orr Endowed Chair in the Division of Pediatric Psychiatry and Psychology at Akron Children’s. “Given the acute shortage of youth behavioral health professionals throughout the region and beyond, we plan to staff the facility with child and adolescent psychiatrists, psychiatric nurse practitioners, and mental health therapists, enhancing access to those highly specialized services locally."
The first center opened on the Mahoning County campus in 2019. The hospital said it's planning to look at other locations as well, which will be determined by community needs.
Akron Children's said providers at the Canton location will be able to prescribe and manage medicines for conditions like ADHD, depression and anxiety. The center will also offer pediatric psychologists who can support children living with chronic illnesses like diabetes and cystic fibrosis.
“We appreciate the support of the City of Canton in bringing these services to their community,” said Jewell. “Having care like this close to home can make all the difference for many families.”