Developers are planning to build a $5 million, 24-bed acute care behavioral health facility on Mt. Carmel’s west-side. At last night’s City Council meeting, commissioners heard from Dr. Maqbool Ahmed, who along with Dr. Wasim Sajid, will build the facility under the name of Emrica, LLC, which is an Indiana registered company currently operating a similar center in Benton, Kentucky and is in the process of building another in Bardstown, Kentucky. Dr. Ahmed said plans call for building the 24,000 square foot facility on Enterprise Lane near Super 8. He outlined the economic benefits of the new facility to Mt. Carmel….

Mayor Joe Judge said negotiations to bring the treatment facility to Mt. Carmel started last October….

In the past, officials with Wabash General Hospital have expressed an urgent need for psychiatric services locally. According to Ahmed, none are available in Illinois within two hours of Mt. Carmel. Depending on licensing and building timelines, Ahmed said it’s hoped the new facility will open in late 2021. In addition to this project, Dr. Ahmed also serves as an oncologist at WGH.