New state psychiatric hospital to be built on existing Hawthorn Center location in Northville

On Monday, as part of the state’s continued commitment to providing behavioral health services to Michigan families, the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services (MDHHS) and the Department of Technology, Management & Budget (DTMB) announced the location of a new inpatient psychiatric hospital. The southeastern Michigan facility will be located at the current site of Hawthorn Center, 18471 Haggerty Road in Northville.

The new hospital is being made possible by a $325 million FY23 budget allocation by Gov. Gretchen Whitmer and the legislature. It will care for patients currently served at both Hawthorn Center and Walter P. Reuther Psychiatric Hospital in Westland.

The two facilities serve nearly 200 patients and are among the state’s five inpatient psychiatric hospitals for individuals who have severe mental illness or intellectual and developmental disabilities. Hawthorn Center opened its doors in 1956, while Walter Reuther began operations in 1979, and need to be replaced due to aging infrastructure.

“We are excited to be able to provide Michigan families in need of inpatient, behavioral health care a new state-of-the-art hospital in southeastern Michigan,” said Elizabeth Hertel, MDHHS director. “The modern facility will allow MDHHS to continue providing quality, compassionate care to both children and adults. The consolidation of two of our current hospitals will also allow for efficiencies in administrative and support services while maintaining separate living and treatment facilities for adults and children.”

“DTMB is proud to be a part of this effort to improve the lives of Michiganders most in need of care,” said Michelle Lange, DTMB director. “Our team of construction experts are eager to exercise their skills to ensure that the new psychiatric facility is completed on time and on budget and is a top-notch facility that meets the needs of both the patients and staff.”

“The new facility is a perfect example of how the state is leveraging one-time resources for long-term strategic investments,” said State Budget Director Christopher Harkins. “We are thoughtfully and deliberately building the new facility on the current Hawthorn Center site, which is a convenient location for staff and patient families, and sustains a relationship with the community of Northville, which has long been a partner to the State of Michigan. This project will provide benefits for years into the future.”

“Mental health, especially for children, is an urgent need in our region,” said Mark Abbo, Northville Township supervisor. “We are pleased to have the opportunity to work with the State of Michigan to develop a state-of-the-art facility to help those in our region in need, get the highest possible mental health care.”

During construction of the new facility in Northville, staff and patients currently being cared for at Hawthorn Center will be moved to a separate unit at Walter P. Reuther Psychiatric Hospital to allow for the demolition of the current Hawthorn facility.

While the new psychiatric complex will serve all ages, the hospitals will be distinct facilities with separate living and programmatic spaces for children and adults. The complex, however, will include shared administration and food service.

The construction manager for the project is Christman Company­, with design services provided by Integrated Design Solutions LLC. Construction is expected to begin this fall and anticipated completion is in 2026.

The State of Michigan operates five inpatient hospitals that serve nearly 650 patients. Caro Center, Kalamazoo Psychiatric Hospital and Walter Reuther Psychiatric Hospital serve adult patients while children and adolescents are treated at Hawthorn Center. The Center for Forensic Psychiatry provides diagnostic services to the criminal justice system and psychiatric treatment for criminal defendants adjudicated incompetent to stand trial or acquitted by not guilty by reason of insanity.

Michigan's state hospitals are accredited by The Joint Commission and are committed to providing evidence-supported, person-centered inpatient care to individuals in an environment that values compassion, collaboration and community reintegration.