Oceans Behavioral Hospital announces Lubbock opening, hiring, and services

UPDATE: Oceans Behavioral Hospital will host a ribbon cutting for the new facility on Tuesday, Jan. 10, 2023.

A Plano-based behavioral health organization will bring additional help and resources for mental health to the Lubbock area early next year, and will add more than 100 jobs to the area.

Oceans Behavioral Hospital, part of Oceans Healthcare, will offer in- and outpatient behavioral services to people ages 50 and older in the area starting late January at 4202 Princeton St. The company started in Louisiana in 2004 and is currently based in Plano, operating 33 locations across Louisiana, Mississippi and Texas.

Kim Guy, vice president of clinical services at Oceans Healthcare, and Dax Parker, vice president of market development, took some time to discuss the future facility, which will be the group's 11th in Texas.

"One of the biggest (reasons) that led to us to continue to expand in Texas is that Texas ranks last in access to mental health care," Parker said. "At Oceans, we've always aimed to be able to provide additional quality access."

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The hospital will offer inpatient and intensive outpatient programs.

"We treat depression, anxiety, often some behavioral disturbances associated with early stages of Alzheimer's or other dementia in the older adult population," Guy said. "We also treat co-occurring disorders or dual diagnosis, folks who are struggling with both mental health and substance use disorders."

Since the conversation began for Oceans to open in the Lubbock area, Parker mentioned the community "is very excited," including local medical centers.

"There's a very big need, so the community in general, and the medical community there are arms wide open," Parker said. "We're really just hoping to be able to bring awareness and complement UMC and Covenant, and just be a real mental health backbone for the community."

Oceans will go beyond treatment with their community outreach program, which will educate people on their services, and mental health in general.

"We want to be an advocate for mental health, and give everybody the ability to receive the treatment they need, when they need it," Parker said.

Oceans Behavioral Hospital hiring events, online applications available

The hospital is hosting several job fairs to fill more than 100 positions. Those positions include:

• Registered Nurse

• Intake Registered Nurse

• Licensed Professional Nurse

• Mental Health Technician

• Therapists

• Discharge Planner

• Unit Clerk

• Receptionist/Administrative Assistant

• Driver

• Environment of Care Tech

• Registered Nurse House Supervisor

• Community Liaison Director

• Community Liaison

• Director of Nursing

• Clinical Director

• Quality Director – IC

• Certified Therapeutic Recreation Specialist

• Human Resources Director

• Health Information Management Director

• Utilization Management Director

There will be several hiring events, where people are encouraged to bring their resumes. Hiring fairs will be at the Overton Hotel and Conference Center, 2322 Mac Davis Lane, on:

• Nov. 15-17 from 8 a.m.-5 p.m. in the Horizon A space.

• Dec. 14-15 from 8 a.m.-5 p.m.

Online applications can be made at oceansjobboard.com/jobs. Oceans also has healthcare facilities in Abilene, Amarillo, Dallas, Houston and Midland.

"We tend to look at these underserved areas where we can bring services and complement the current services that are already offered in the community," Parker said.

Alana Edgin is a journalist covering Business News in Lubbock and the surrounding area. Send her a news tip at aedgin@lubbockonline.com. 

This article originally appeared on Lubbock Avalanche-Journal: Oceans Behavioral Hospital to open in Lubbock, hiring now