Griffin Memorial Hospital May Find New Home In Oklahoma City

Griffin Memorial Hospital in Norman may be on the move. The behavioral health hospital is looking to expand. 

The Oklahoma Department of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services said there are several interested partners. Oklahoma County and the City of OKC are now joining the long list of potential partners interested in providing these vital services.  

“There’s a huge economic benefit, we’re adding 223 jobs, there is an estimation of $90 million in terms of the taxes generated from those new jobs and cost of deterring people from the emergency rooms etc.,” Heath Hayes with the Oklahoma Department of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services said.  

After 10 years of hard work the Oklahoma Department of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services is in the process of relocating Griffin Memorial Hospital. The building itself is nearly 100 years old.  

“To build a new hospital is about $10 million and we are about 1.5 away from securing that $10 million to make that move at that decision,” he said.  

“None of this happened overnight, a lot of incredible work by a lot of incredible people and certainly when we look at our elected officials and how they have supported this we’ve seen that change,” Jeff Dismukes, the Director Of Communications for the OSDMHSAS, said.  

Dismukes said they haven’t decided if the hospital will stay in Norman or go to a surrounding metro area. 

After a presentation to Oklahoma County commissioners, it may end up in Oklahoma City. 

“Not only benefit the state but it’s also going to be benefiting the county jail and the things we are trying to do,” said an Oklahoma County commissioner during their meeting on Tuesday. 

Commissioner Carrie Blumert also expressed support for the move and said, “using our ARPA dollars in partnership with the city and the state is a unique opportunity to enhance the quality of care received by people battling mental health and substance abuse in Oklahoma County.” 

The county approved $3 million in ARPA funds for this project and for affordable housing in the city.  

“The new hospital, when it is built and wherever it’s built, is going to be a 330 bed facility, about 275 adult beds and 55 adolescent beds,” said Dismukes.  

They are still weighing their options but said wherever it goes it will provide vital mental health services to the community.  

The new facility is expected to be built and open by 2026.