Transaction Marks Company’s First Expansion into Mississippi
BILOXI, Miss. – Oceans Healthcare announced it has acquired the behavioral health operations of Merit Health Biloxi. The acquisition includes the 45-bed Gulf Oaks behavioral health hospital, an outpatient clinic and a therapeutic day school. The facility will be renamed Oceans Behavioral Hospital Biloxi.
The transaction caps a year of growth for the behavioral health provider. In 2018, Oceans Healthcare expanded programming at nearly half of its locations.
“As administrator of this facility for nearly six years, I’m truly excited about our future with Oceans Healthcare,” said Cliff Hermes, hospital administrator. “We fully share their commitment to providing compassionate behavioral health care to our patients and their families. With Oceans Healthcare’s knowledge and experience, I’m confident our hospital will be positioned for continued growth in service to the Biloxi community.”
Oceans Behavioral Hospital Biloxi will provide inpatient and outpatient behavioral health treatment options for children, adolescents, adults and seniors. Licensed medical and mental health professionals will guide each patient and their family through individually designed treatment programs that include group, individual and family therapy.
“At Oceans, our highest priority is expanding access to quality behavioral health care,” said Stuart Archer, Oceans Healthcare CEO. “Establishing a hospital in Mississippi is a tremendous step forward in furthering our mission to help more individuals receive the dedicated treatment they need. We look forward to building relationships with Biloxi community leaders and our new health care colleagues to ensure our patients attain the best possible quality of life.”
Mississippi ranks 48th nationwide for mental health care, meaning the state has a high prevalence of mental illness and scarce access to care, according to the 2019 Mental Health America report.