Finally … RSH opens!

With all the well-deserved hoopla, Rusk State Hospital was finally able to show off its more than 200,000 million-dollar makeover, which is now the pride of the HHSC and indeed, all of East Texas. Wednesday at 10 a.m. was the Grand Opening of the new patient complex, which was the culmination many years of the hard work and lobbying of State Senator Robert Nichols, Representative Travis Clardy, James I. Perkins of Citizen’s 1st Bank and many others who wanted to improve the facilities for better patient care. The Rusk State Hospital actually began in 1919 in what had once been a state penitentiary, and many of the structures dated back from that beginning, but the new construction began in earnest on January 14, 2020.

The festivities began with a tour of the facilities, and it is filled with amenities. A gym, basketball court, ping-pong, movie theater, barber and beauty shop, private rooms with private showers, food court, big screens TVs in common areas, a library, outside landscaped courtyards and much more. The 200-bed patient area is divided into two separate sections, which include minimum security and maximum security wings. Each section also includes a dining room that seats 25. The hospital has lots of natural light and soothing colors to make one’s stay more conducive to their recovery.

Our small section of East Texas welcomed some of the top state officers, including Scott Schalchlin, Deputy Executive Commissioner for Health and Specialty Care, who noted that his career in psychiatric care began in RSH in 1987. Michelle Alletto, Chief Program & Services Officer for Health and Human Services, and Cecile Erwin Young, Executive Commissioner, echoed their excitement at this beautiful new facility.

Also present was Sen. Nichols who, while slipping away from his duties in the Senate during the special called session, gave the chronological history of the events it took to lobby the State to commit to this venture and Rep. Clardy, who joined forces with Nichols in securing the needed funding. Both said in their speeches that it took three separate legislative sessions to get the State to release the money, but in the end Rusk, along with other psychiatric facilities throughout Texas, will also get long overdue updating and improvements. Lieutenant Governor Dan Patrick played the primary role in the multi-billion dollar increase in services throughout the state with the Rusk State Hospital being the first step.

James I. Perkins, President and Board Chairman for Citizen’s 1st Bank and also a major promoter and long-time supporter of RSH, commented on how good it was to work not only with Nichols and Clardy, but also our newest state Representative Cody Harris of Palestine, in getting this project off the ground and finally completed.

The large crowd then moved from the covered tent to the entrance for the “official” ribbon cutting.

An invitation-only luncheon was held at the Rusk Civic Center with entertainment provided by TJC Band and Apache Bells.

Charles Hassell, Vice President of Citizen’s 1st Bank, addressed the audience and welcomed all the distinguished guests, pointing out the cooperation from current hospital administrator Megan Blue and her staff and while also acknowledging the contributions from former RSH administrator Brenda Slaton.

RSH services the mental health needs in the surrounding 32 counties and will officially be accepting patients into the new state of the art facility on June 27.