Belmont Behavioral Health – which celebrated its 70th anniversary in June 2007 – was born of the vision and compassion of its founders who were moved to provide quality mental health services at a time when services were limited. Building a private hospital and providing relatively low-cost treatments for short-term care with the goal of returning patients to productive lives was a dream that became a reality. The dream and the reality continue to mature and grow today.
- 1937, June, a charter is signed and a Board of Directors is organized.
- 1937, November, Adult Outpatient Department is established in downtown Philadelphia.
- 1938, January, 13-bed Horace Berk Memorial Hospital admits its first patient.
- 1940, Gift of building and more than four acres of land at Ford and Monument Roads expands hospital; charter amended to rename the institution the Philadelphia Psychiatric Hospital.
- 1941, a new, 60-bed facility opens on the new site.
- 1960, Research Department is housed in Wurzel Building.
- 1962, Irving Schwartz Institute for Children and Youth opens.
- 1972, Drug Abuse Treatment Program and satellite clinics established.
- 1975, Philadelphia Center for Human Development opens to serve Northeast Philadelphia.
- 1977, educational affiliation established with University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine’s Department of Psychiatry.
- 1983, Philadelphia Psychiatric Center and Einstein Medical Center Philadelphia merge, beds increase to 147.
- 1991, Outpatient Care Center opens, specialty programs instituted.
- 1992, hospital renamed Belmont Behavioral Health.
Today, Belmont Behavioral Health is recognized for its individualized and compassionate approach to delivering progressive psychiatric services and quality care. Services include: inpatient and outpatient care; the Women’s Center; Women’s Inpatient Program; the Family Center; Eating Disorders Day Treatment Program; treatment for adolescents, adults and older adults for mental health or substance abuse; mental health treatment program for the hearing impaired; research on violence prevention and postvention, crisis intervention and resident education and training; and the Recovery Initiative.
An Integrated System of Mental Health Care for Older Adults
Belmont Behavioral Health treats Drug and Alcohol Addiction
One day, one patient at a time
A Comprehensive and Individualized Approach to the Treatment of Eating Disorders
Belmont Behavioral Health’s Recovery Initiative
A bridge from hopelessness to hope