After securing real estate near the intersection of Forest Lane and Skillman St., Dallas-based mental healthcare provider Metrocare is opening a new facility in the Lake Highlands area.
Pictured left to right: Bianca Zamora, MS, Metrocare Director of Housing and Homeless Services; Ikenna Mogbo, Metrocare Chief Housing Officer; Dr. John Burruss, Chief Executive Officer; Kevin Boyd, Metrocare Chief Facilities Planning & Construction Officer; Eliza Solender, President, Solender/Hall, Inc. Photo Courtesy of Solender/Hall.
According to a release, Metrocare, the largest mental health care provider in Dallas County, recently acquired the property at 9696 Skillman St. The 63,000-square-foot former office building has three stories and sits on three acres. Metrocare will begin moving services into the building over the coming weeks, although it will not fully occupy the building until current leases expire.
The new facility will include mental health services, housing and homeless assistance, and a pharmacy. It will also become the new home of the The Steven A. Cohen Military Family Clinic, which provides mental health services for post-9/11 combat veterans, service members and their families.
The site is near Metrocare’s current Skillman Family Mental Health Clinic, and sits on DART’s Forest Lane bus line.
Metrocare was represented in the acquisition by Solender/Hall, a real estate brokerage firm specializing in working with nonprofits and small businesses.
The new facility is part of a response to a growing need for mental health resources, according to the release.
“The demand for mental health services has surged, a trend exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic,” said John W. Burruss, Metrocare CEO, “As the largest behavioral health provider in Dallas County, Metrocare is dedicated to expanding access to quality care. Our recent property acquisition is a testament to this commitment, providing much-needed space to enhance and broaden our services and programs. Last year alone, we served over 51,000 individuals through almost 3,000 daily clinical encounters, delivering quality mental health care regardless of financial means. This expansion is a crucial step in meeting the unprecedented demand for mental health support in our community.”
According to a Pew Research Center study, over 40% of U.S. adults experienced high levels of psychological distress between March 2020 and September 2022.
Texas has also consistently ranked poorly in access to mental healthcare in comparison to other states. According to a 2023 study by insurance company Milliman, only 17% of those with commercial insurance diagnosed with mental health or substance abuse disorders received specialty care in Texas, the second lowest percentage in all 50 states.
