West Virginia seeks private operators for state psychiatric hospitals

The West Virginia Department of Health Facilities is looking for organizations to manage the daily operations of Mildred Mitchell-Bateman Hospital in Huntington and William R. Sharpe, Jr. Hospital in Weston. Both facilities will remain under state ownership, but the state is seeking partners to provide specialized operational expertise and improve patient care standards. The search for operators is part of a larger restructuring effort by the Morrisey administration.

The state is looking to bring in external expertise to manage and improve the treatment outcomes at these facilities. The process follows previous sales and restructuring of other state-run care and nursing facilities, amid lawmaker concerns about rising budget costs and transparency.