Since the closure of Twin Valley Behavioral Health Hospital in 2008, the Dayton community has lacked a dedicated state facility designed to treat individuals with severe mental illness. The absence of this level of care has had far-reaching consequences — for patients, for our businesses, and for the broader community. Without adequate treatment capacity, too many individuals have cycled through emergency rooms, the criminal justice system, or homelessness.
According to a study conducted by Wright State University, the total negative economic impact of mental illness on the Dayton region is a staggering $12.65 billion and the total cost of lost business production from individuals with mental illness who can’t participate in the Dayton area workforce is $6.57 billion. Our businesses and our economy are feeling the impact, while those suffering from mental illness are going without the care they deserve.
Governor Mike DeWine’s commitment in 2025 to build a new 216-bed, $273 million state behavioral health hospital in the Dayton region marked a turning point. The state capital budget included $10 million for due diligence and to acquire the land at the former Hara Arena. In January 2026, the state finalized the land purchase, and construction is expected to begin this spring.
The redevelopment of this 133-acre site will serve as both a healthcare and economic catalyst. Beyond delivering lifesaving treatment services, the hospital is expected to employ approximately 500 healthcare professionals including physicians, nurses, aides, and support staff - further strengthening Dayton’s robust healthcare sector.
We have already seen the impact of modern state mental health facilities. The new behavioral health hospital in Columbus, which opened in 2024, is a thoughtfully designed, patient-centered campus that is transforming care delivery in central Ohio. Dayton deserves the same level of investment and access.
Political leadership has been instrumental in bringing this project to life. Governor DeWine has championed the effort, committing both financial resources and his own political capital. However, with Governor DeWine term-limited and leaving office at the end of this year, the project’s long-term certainty cannot be taken for granted. A new governor in Ohio will be sworn-in on January 11, 2027, and will bring new priorities and competing demands.
For that reason, the time to act is now.
Our community has already waited nearly two decades since the closure of Twin Valley. We cannot afford further delays. Advancing this project ensures that individuals living with serious mental illness receive appropriate, compassionate care in a facility designed to meet their unique needs; not on our streets, not disrupting our business, not in our jails, and not in hospital emergency departments unequipped for long-term treatment.
This hospital is more than a construction project. It is a statement about Dayton’s commitment to health, safety, and human dignity. It is an investment in people, business, families, and the future of our region.
Chris Kershner is the president and CEO of the Dayton Area Chamber of Commerce.