The Greenleaf Center in Valdosta will be managed by Acadia Healthcare of Franklin, Tenn., which has also entered into an agreement to purchase the facility.

South Georgia Medical Center currently operates Greenleaf, and CEO Randy Sauls announced the transition Tuesday to staff members. “The Hospital Authority has entered into a management agreement with Acadia, who will bring their own manager here to Valdosta to run the facility.”

Acadia has also signed a letter of intent to purchase Greenleaf, following a due diligence period, which Sauls said may take 4 or 5 months.

“This is a great deal for the community, and it allows SGMC to focus on acute care, which is how it should be,” said Sauls.

Greenleaf provides mental health and substance abuse treatment for adolescents and adults on an inpatient basis.In addition, Greenleaf provides military services to active duty personnel. The adjacent outpatient center offers counseling, family therapy, teen programs and DUI intervention.

SGMC did not disclose the terms of the transaction on Tuesday, but will do so once the sale is final.

According to a press release from SGMC, Acadia Healthcare Co-President Trey Carter, said the group operates a network of behavioral health facilities across the country with two hospitals in the metro Atlanta area.

“We were looking for opportunities to have a presence in the southern portion of the state and that is why we were interested in purchasing Greenleaf.”

 Acadia operates a network of 32 behavioral health facilities with approximately 2,100 licensed beds in 19 states. Carter stated in the release that business will continue as usual for the present time. He anticipates that more jobs, such as in the areas of human resources and billing, will be created as Greenleaf transitions to a fully functioning independent ACADIA hospital. He does not anticipate any changes in staffing during the due diligence period as Acadia will be evaluating staff and services to include things Greenleaf doesn’t currently provide.

 “Our vision is to be the behavioral health center of excellence for citizens of South Georgia,” Carter says.

 SGMC purchased Greenleaf Center, formerly a private psychiatric and substance abuse facility, on May 1, 1999. At that time, SGMC closed its psychiatric wing and consolidated all behavioral health services at Greenleaf.

For more on this story and other local news, subscribe to The Valdosta Daily Times e-Edition, or our print edition.