MASON, Ohio - The Craig and Frances Lindner and Carl and Edyth Lindner families, The Health Alliance of Greater Cincinnati, the University of Cincinnati, the City of Mason, and other friends and supporters will hold a brief private ceremony Friday, October 27, to commemorate the groundbreaking of The Craig and Frances Lindner Center of HOPE (Helping Other People Excel). The new mental health facility, made possible through a generous gift from the Craig and Frances Lindner and Carl and Edyth Lindner, Jr. families, and a gift from the Health Alliance, will be built on a secluded site off Old Western Row Road in Mason. Construction begins this Fall and is anticipated to be complete by mid-2008.
The Center of HOPE will offer comprehensive inpatient and outpatient psychiatric treatment for adolescents, adults and older adults through an integrated, evidence-based program of patient care, education and research. Individualized treatment plans will be based on patients' physical, psychological, social, cultural, educational, spiritual and vocational backgrounds.
Craig Lindner notes, "Mental illnesses affect the lives of many people. It's a privilege for our family to be involved with this state-of-the-science center, which will deliver comprehensive care and will support and attract the very best clinicians and researchers in this field."
The 86,500-square-foot facility will be located on 35 acres in a private setting with 56 inpatient beds including units serving adults, older adults and adolescents. It will be staffed full-time by UC College of Medicine physicians and will be jointly operated by The Health Alliance of Greater Cincinnati and The Lindner Foundation.
Ken Hanover, President and CEO of The Health Alliance, says that without the Center, there would be no inpatient behavioral health facilities in Warren County, one of the region's fastest-growing population centers. Additionally, there are extremely high occupancy rates for behavioral health beds in the Greater Cincinnati area, indicating a great need for the facility. Hanover also commented that the construction project is being managed by a joint venture between Danis and Foxx construction management companies, a prime and certified minority owned business partnership. "We are committed to a policy of economic inclusion at the Health Alliance and are very pleased with the Danis Foxx partnership for the construction of The Lindner Center of HOPE," said Hanover.
Paul Keck, M.D., Professor of Psychiatry at UC, will serve as President and CEO of The Lindner Center and will hold an endowed chair funded by the Lindner Foundation. Brian Owens, R.N., P.C.C., will serve as Vice President and Chief Operating Officer for the Center. Owens has more than 22 years of mental health care experience, including administrative and private practice.
"It is our vision to provide types of treatment that are not offered anywhere in this region, including some of the best care in the nation," notes Dr. Keck. "This facility also will provide seamless integration of inpatient and outpatient care, which is unique among hospitals in this region."
"With the Lindner family's tremendous generosity and vision, we will be able to bring world-class mental health care to our region," added Owens. "The Lindner Center of HOPE will be a blessing to our community and will bring hope to those suffering from mental illness."
The Health Alliance is an integrated health care delivery system that includes The Christ Hospital, The University Hospital, The St. Luke Hospitals, The Jewish Hospital, Fort Hamilton Hospital, Drake Center, West Chester Medical Center and the physicians of Alliance Primary Care.
The UC College of Medicine is part of the UC Academic Health Center, which also includes the colleges of Nursing, Pharmacy and Allied Health Sciences in addition to UC Physicians, Hoxworth Blood Center and UC's Genome Research Institute. Teaching and research affiliates include The Univers
ity Hospital, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, Veterans Affairs Medical Center and Shriner?s Hospital for Children.
Editor's Note: The media are invited to attend the private ceremony and reception for the groundbreaking, being held from 3:00 - 5:00 p.m. The program will begin at 3:20 p.m., with the ceremonial groundbreaking taking place at approximately 3:45 p.m. Due to the potential of inclement weather, the entire event will take place in a heated tent. Media photo opportunities will include representatives from the Lindner family, The Health Alliance, UC Academic Health Center, and the Mayor of the City of Mason.
Directions for media:
Directions from I-71 heading north
Take the Western Row exit (exit #24). Turn left at the first traffic light (Western Row Road).Travel 0.7 miles to Western Row/Tylersville Road traffic light. Turn left at traffic light. Travel 1 block. Turn left at Old Western Row to 4099 Old Western Row on the right (There are 2 cement eagles on the driveway posts.) Follow tree-lined drive to LCOH land next to two-story home.
Directions from I-71 heading south
Take the Kings Mills exit (exit #25). Turn left at the first traffic light (Kings Mills Road). Travel to second traffic light and turn right on Kings Island Drive. Follow Kings Island Drive past the park to Western Row Road. Turn right and follow directions above from Western Row.
Directions from I-75
Take the Tylersville exit (exit #22) and head east (left from north; right from south). Travel approximately 4.5 miles through Mason to Western Row/Tylersville traffic light. Turn right at traffic light. Travel 1 block. Turn left at Old Western Row to 4099 Old Western Row on the right. (There are 2 cement eagles on the driveway posts.)
