RI Delegation Announces $8M for New Mental Health Facility for Children at Bradley Hospital

EAST PROVIDENCE, RI - In an effort to help Bradley Hospital provide cutting-edge research and state-of-the-art facilities to support children dealing with mental health disorders, Rhode Island's Congressional Delegation today announced a new $7,940,991 federal grant for Bradley Hospital to advance the construction of a pediatric psychiatric research laboratory, to be co-located on Bradley's hospital campus in East Providence.

Bradley Hospital is an affiliate of Brown University and is nationally recognized for the quality of its adolescent and child psychiatry programs. Bradley offers families and children access to mental health screening, diagnostics, and a full array of evidence-based therapeutic services to appropriately address pediatric mental and behavioral health needs.

U.S. Senators Jack Reed and Sheldon Whitehouse and U.S. Representatives Seth Magaziner and Gabe Amo said the new federal funding, which is administered by the National Institutes of Health (NIH), will help build a state-of-the-art facility to enhance pediatric psychiatric research and centralize services in one convenient, modern facility.

According to the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH), many mental disorders can begin in childhood. Examples include anxiety disorders, attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), depression and other mood disorders, eating disorders, and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Early treatment can help children manage their symptoms and support their social and emotional well-being.

Nearly 1 in 5 children ages 3 to 17 had ever been diagnosed with a mental, emotional, or behavioral health condition, according to NIMH's latest statistics.

"Bradley's new facility will provide Rhode Islanders with high-quality mental health care and help conduct innovative research initiatives that will enhance treatment and prevention efforts. This federal grant is a major boost to help advance the project and better serve the community, especially our youngest patients in need of mental health services," said Senator Jack Reed, a member of the Appropriations Committee.

"We have a children's mental health crisis in this country, and too many Rhode Island kids are struggling with conditions that have been under-researched and misunderstood," said Senator Sheldon Whitehouse. "This new federal investment will centralize Bradley Hospital's innovative researchers at a new top-of-the-line facility that will help more Rhode Island children in need of mental and behavioral health care."

"Too many young people are struggling with mental health challenges, and it is critical that they have access to the high-quality care and support they deserve," said Congressman Seth Magaziner. "I am proud to join my colleagues in the Rhode Island congressional delegation to announce funding that will help Bradley Hospital continue its leadership in children's mental health research and treatment, bringing new tools and better care to Rhode Islanders."

"Mental health care is essential and Bradley's new facility will ensure young Rhode Islanders will have access to the services they need to thrive," said Congressman Gabe Amo. "I'm proud to have worked alongside my colleagues in our Congressional delegation to secure this federal grant and expand mental health care access and research for Rhode Island's children."

"Without a dedicated space on campus, Bradley Hospital's research laboratories are scattered across multiple locations, limiting collaboration and distancing scientists from the very patients who stand to benefit most from their work. A unified facility would not only provide the appropriate space for advanced research and equipment but also bring researchers closer to their patients-accelerating discoveries, improving outcomes, and fostering vital collaboration across core labs. This proposed center would significantly enhance Bradley Hospital's capacity to address the urgent and evolving challenges in youth and adolescent psychiatry and behavioral health," said Dr. Henry Sachs III, President, Bradley Hospital.

The NIH research facilities construction grant will allow Bradley Hospital to move forward with the multi-phase plans to construct a pediatric psychiatric research laboratory.

Bradley Hospital is the nation's first psychiatric hospital dedicated to children and adolescents. Located in East Providence, it serves youth and families across Rhode Island and New England.

Bradley Hospital is a teaching hospital for The Warren Alpert Medical School of Brown University and currently hosts an NIH COBRE Center for Sleep and Circadian Rhythms in Child and Adolescent Mental Health; its world-class researchers are also engaged on over 20 other NIH-funded research projects, including Bradley Hospital's Pediatric Anxiety Research Center (PARC), which has relocated its clinical and research services to the hospital's main campus.

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