RHODE ISLAND, February 6 - PROVIDENCE, RI – The McKee Administration today shared new details on its plan to invest more than $100 million for enhancements to the Eleanor Slater Hospital campus in Burrillville. The new facility will broaden Eleanor Slater Hospital's capabilities and better position the hospital to meet the needs of its current and future patients.

"Eleanor Slater Hospital plays a critical role in Rhode Island's healthcare system, and that is why it is important that we invest in the hospital's future," said Governor Dan McKee. "By first gathering input from patients and families, staff and the community, we will be able to develop plans for a new facility that continues to meet those needs for many years to come."

While still in preliminary stages, an independent feasibility study is being used to identify the care needs of Rhode Islanders as well as the scope and size of the project.

?Members of the public are welcome to attend a Community Town Hall on Wednesday, Feb. 22, at 2:30 p.m. This meeting will be held both virtually (Microsoft Teams Meeting ID: 243 595 038 577 and Passcode: P6tNkt) and in person at the Beazley Building Medical Library, 2090 Wallum Lake Rd., Pascoag, RI 02859. This is an opportunity to learn more about the preliminary findings and share suggestions for the success of this project.

"This represents exciting news for Eleanor Slater Hospital, and for the State of Rhode Island," said Richard Charest, Director of the Department of Behavioral Healthcare, Developmental Disabilities and Hospitals, which oversees the hospital. "Building a new, modern facility at the Burrillville campus will enable our dedicated teams to meet the care needs of more Rhode Islanders. It will also expand our services and allow us to offer care options that we do not presently have. Gaining our community's input is a critical component to the success of this process."

"Eleanor Slater Hospital and its dedicated staff are an invaluable resource to the patients and families who rely on their care," said Executive Office of Health and Human Services' Acting Secretary Ana Novais. "It is critically important that we continue working with staff, patients, families and the local community to build a Burrillville campus that best meets the state's healthcare needs going forward."

Plans for the enhanced services and new facility at Eleanor Slater Hospital will be fully developed once the comprehensive review of the state's needs is completed. The results of this study will inform a review of architectural and engineering options and determine the size and scope of the project. ? Once construction is finalized, the new facility will replace current operations in the Beazley building. Patients and staff currently in the Beazley building will transition to the new facility. It is expected that this new project will broaden capabilities and create new jobs at Eleanor Slater Hospital.

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