(MSC News)--Kansas Governor Laura Kelly, on Thursday, joined federal, state, and local leaders to break ground on a new 72-bed mental health inpatient hospital in Olathe, Kansas, jointly operated by KVC Health Systems and Children's Mercy Hospital.

According to a release from Kelly's office, the mental wellness campus will have the capacity to care for more than 3,400 patients annually and will create approximately 150 new jobs.

The $53 million project is supported by a $12.725 million grant from the State of Kansas Strengthening People and Revitalizing Kansas, or SPARK, Executive Committee, which distributed federal American Rescue Plan Act Funding.

Kelly, in the release, states that “the need to strengthen mental health services is a nonpartisan issue that affects all Kansans, rural and urban alike—and addressing the need pays dividends for everyone,” adding that “a lack of psychiatric beds has been one of the largest barriers to providing mental health care in [the] state,” noting that “when completed, this state-of-the-art hospital will take significant pressure off [the Kansas] health care systems.”

The joint venture between KVC and Children's Mercy Hospital will create an additional 48 pediatric beds and 24 adult beds. It will also create six private courtyards, walking paths, and dining and activity spaces.

According to the release, “the design and healing environment prioritize staff and patient safety, supportive care and treatment spaces, patient wellness, and connection with nature.”