On Jan. 23, after a unanimous “yes” vote by the Charlotte City Council, StarMed Pediatric Medical Center is one step closer to becoming a reality. StarMed Healthcare, based in Charlotte, has a proven track record of providing quality health care to communities in need. The company has a long-standing commitment to improving the lives of families through innovative and compassionate care. Over the past year, StarMed has worked closely with the City of Charlotte in the acquisition of city-owned real estate to create a new state-of-the-art pediatric behavioral health facility in the city.
The facility, located on the east side of Charlotte at 5516 Central Avenue, will provide the highest level of care for children and families suffering from behavioral health issues. This new facility will be equipped with the latest technology and staffed by a team of dedicated and highly trained professionals. With the addition of this new facility, StarMed Healthcare is taking a big step forward in its mission to improve the lives of children and families in Charlotte and throughout the region. This facility is desperately needed, given the growing mental health problems of children, and it will have a significant impact on the quality of life for residents of the City of Queens. The latest available data demonstrates this need: North Carolina ranks 45th among the 50 U.S. states in the availability of quality children’s mental health services.
“Our medical organization is dedicated to serving the community and improving it. We have seen an increase in mental health problems among children, adolescents and their families during the COVID-19 pandemic, which has exacerbated the situation that existed before the pandemic,” said Dr. Michael Estramonte, president and founder of StarMed Healthcare. “Families across Charlotte have experienced tremendous hardship and upheaval. Existing structural inequities have led to disproportionate impact on children, especially those from Black and Hispanic communities. We must address this critical issue in North Carolina, and Charlotte must be a leader on this issue.”
Treatment at StarMed will range from the most serious illnesses to a potential outpatient center that young patients can transition into. It will combat some troubling trends, including:
- North Carolina currently lacks 400 beds for children experiencing mental and behavioral health crises, so many families are forced to choose out-of-state options.
- Atrium Health has seen a 65% increase in the number of emergency department patients needing mental health care. As for children needing mental health care, the need has tripled since the pandemic.
- Younger adults have higher rates of depression: 44% of U.S. high school seniors in 2021 reported a persistent sense of sadness or hopelessness.
- North Carolina ranks 44th in the nation for access to mental health care and 45th overall for pediatric mental health care.
- UNC Medical Center’s main psychiatric clinic has seen a 150% increase in the number of patients per month from spring 2020 to spring 2022.
- More than 50% of behavioral disorders begin by age 14 and 75% develop by age 24.
- The average wait time to get into one of the three behavioral health hospitals in North Carolina is 144 hours (more than 5 days).
The 36,348-square-foot building is located on a 3.89-acre site at 5516 Central Avenue. The new facility will include 30 to 50 beds for pediatric patients and will create about 145 jobs, ranging from mental health professionals, physicians, counselors and social workers to cafeteria staff, security, and clerical and administrative positions.
StarMed will also invest heavily in a mentoring and training program that will create a foundation for meaningful experiences, fostering purposeful relationships guided by clearly defined standards and goals.
The mentoring program will provide participants with opportunities to learn from other healthcare leaders and clinicians, developing their leadership skills to mentor colleagues going through the same growth process.
In June 2022, the three state psychiatric hospitals had an average vacancy rate of 23%, for a total of more than 1,000 vacancies. The StarMed program will train qualified candidates to fill these career opportunities. The organization will also partner with CPCC and UNCC’s social work and clinical psychology programs to develop an education and training program.
Within the next few months of the sale, StarMed Healthcare plans to work closely with Mecklenburg County and North Carolina authorities to obtain all necessary certifications to operate the new healthcare facility. We are committed to meeting and exceeding all regulatory requirements and standards to ensure that the facility provides the highest level of care to its community.
The mental health facility is scheduled to open in late 2024.