Tampa General Hospital, Lifepoint Behavioral Health, and USF Health have jointly broken ground on the TGH Behavioral Health Hospital, a new four-storey facility in Tampa's Medical and Research District in the US.

Expected to become operational in late 2024, the facility will be Florida's first freestanding academic medical behavioural health hospital.

Tampa General Hospital president and CEO John Couris said: “The TGH Behavioral Health Hospital will significantly expand Floridians’ access to mental health services, and our patients can expect the world-class care we consistently deliver at TGH.”

Intended to address the state's growing demand for mental health services, the hospital will house around 96 to 120 inpatient beds across an area of nearly 83,000ft². It will offer specialised units for different age groups.

Physicians from the USF Health Morsani College of Medicine's psychiatry and behavioural neurosciences department will offer inpatient and outpatient care.

The hospital's construction was supported in part by $10m in funding from the state of Florida.

USF Health executive vice president Charles J Lockwood said: “This facility will be an essential resource for patients with behavioural and mental health conditions, especially those experiencing complex conditions.

“With the new behavioural health hospital, we are increasing much-needed access to highly specialised and personalised care for many behavioural and mental health conditions, which will make a positive impact on the health and well-being of the communities we serve.”