CHARLESTON, W.Va. (AP) — The parent company of a West Virginia psychiatric hospital plans to sell the facility to Brentwood, Tennessee-based Meridian Behavioral Health Systems.
Meridian announced Monday it would buy Highland Health Center and Process Strategies, located in Charleston, West Virginia. Highland Hospital CEO Cynthia Persily says the companies hope to complete the transaction by the end of September.
Persily says several factors lead to the sale, including "the Affordable Care Act, the expansion of managed care in West Virginia Medicaid and the downturn in West Virginia's economy."
Under the terms of the agreement, Persily says all 380 full-time employees at Highland Hospital will be offered positions.
Meridian plans to create an advisory board made of people local to the hospital.