Every day, people across Tarrant County will have access to walk through the doors of the new JPS Psychiatric Emergency Center (PEC) seeking hope, stability, and care during some of the toughest moments of their lives. The PEC was designed thoughtfully to provide a calm, healing environment for immediate access to urgent behavioral health services, ensuring that help is available for anyone, at any hour.
The PEC replaces JPS’ former 10th-floor location, prioritizing dignity, safety, and compassion. Inside, patients and families get to experience areas featuring natural light, therapeutic colors, and separate treatment spaces for adults and adolescents. For the care teams who work there, the new environment supports their ability to provide timely, expert care while helping individuals begin their path toward recovery.
“I want our community to know we are here – without judgment – and this is a safe place for healing and wholeness.”
“With the opening of the new Psychiatric Emergency Center, we’re expanding access to care in a way that is meeting the needs of our growing community,” said Karen Duncan, M.D., President and CEO of JPS Health Network. “This center ensures that no matter the circumstance, individuals and families can come to JPS and be supported by experts who are ready to respond around the clock.”
The county’s overall suicide rate has risen by more than 50% since 2010, reaching 15.5 per 100,000 in 2023. Among youth, the suicide rate for ages 15–19 nearly doubled between 2004 and 2023, climbing from 7.6 to 13.6 per 100,000. Suicide also spread into the younger 10–14 age group, where rates rose to 3.1 per 100,000 by 2019–2023. These trends underscore the importance of timely, accessible, and compassionate behavioral health services like those provided at the new PEC.
Families across Tarrant County now have quicker access to lifesaving psychiatric care. The PEC offers a streamlined process for first responders bringing patients in crisis, while also welcoming community members who walk in directly, 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. In addition to acute emergencies, the center provides immediate help for individuals experiencing depression, anxiety, or other behavioral health concerns before those issues escalate.
“With this new center, our patients and families receive high-quality care in an environment that feels safe, calming, and respectful of their unique needs,” said Nekesha Oliphant, M.D., Chair, Psychiatry and Behavioral Health. “I want our community to know we are here – without judgment – and this is a safe place for healing and wholeness.”
Part of a Comprehensive Behavioral Health Continuum
The PEC is a vital access point within JPS’ robust behavioral health continuum, which includes eight outpatient clinics across Tarrant County, 4 partial hospitalization (PHP) and intensive outpatient programs (IOP), a 100-bed inpatient behavioral health hospital - Trinity Springs Pavilion and many partnerships and programs with local organizations and schools. The new PEC ensures seamless connections from crisis intervention to ongoing care and community resources.
“This center was designed with the needs of our patients in mind, so that it is easier than ever to seek help,” said Zelia Baugh, Executive Vice President, Behavioral Health. “Anyone in Tarrant County can walk through our doors, day or night, and know they’ll be seen quickly and connected to the right level of care. Importantly, you don’t have to wait for a crisis to come here. This facility removes barriers, normalizes behavioral health as part of overall health, and stands as one of the most advanced psychiatric emergency centers in the country.”
Investing in the future of Tarrant County
The PEC represents a transformative step forward in ensuring mental health is treated with the same urgency, resources, and respect as physical health. It is one of several key projects included in the JPS Master Facility Plan, a long-term investment to expand and modernize care across the health network to meet the community’s growing and changing needs. To learn more about JPS’ master facility plan, visit YestoJPS.org.