PHILADELPHIA & FRANKLIN, Tenn.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--$ACHC--Acadia Healthcare Company, Inc. (NASDAQ: ACHC) and Thomas Jefferson University today announced that Acadia's Belmont Behavioral Health Hospital has entered into a formal affiliation agreement with Thomas Jefferson University's Sidney Kimmel Medical College and Jefferson Health in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, to further teaching and clinical care opportunities for students in behavioral healthcare.

This newly formed primary academic affiliation with Thomas Jefferson University will broaden the scope of the relationship, making Belmont and other local Acadia facilities a primary clinical behavioral health teaching site for Jefferson's psychiatric residents, fellows, health sciences and medical students.

In addition to supporting the clinical teaching mission of Jefferson, this partnership will serve to further integrate behavioral health care with medical care, enhancing clinical outcomes for those we care for and together we will look to partner on new opportunities to enhance access and to co-develop state of the art programs that meet the growing need for behavioral healthcare services.

"We are honored to be partnering with such a prestigious and renowned University and Health System," said Mark Schor, Division President of Acadia Healthcare. "Today we are formalizing what has been a long-standing collaboration between Thomas Jefferson University, its affiliates and Belmont Behavioral Health and Acadia."

Thomas Jefferson University is a model professional university born out of a unique merger of Philadelphia University and Jefferson in 2017. Through its distinctive and award-winning 21st-century curriculum, the University prepares students with the skills they need to succeed and lead now and in the future of work. The University's health system – Jefferson Health – is improving lives through exceptional care in the Greater Philadelphia area and South Jersey. Ranking in 23 types of care, Jefferson continues to top U.S. News & World Report's list of best hospitals in the area.

"We are excited to work together not only to support our clinical teaching mission, but to further the integration of behavioral healthcare and medical care to improve clinical outcomes," said Matt Dane Baker, PA-C, DHSc, Interim Provost of Thomas Jefferson University.

"This relationship will also allow for co-development of new programs combining the resources of both organizations in the pursuit of advancing both teaching and clinical care in behavioral healthcare to the communities and patients we serve," added John Lauriello, MD, Daniel Lieberman Professor & Chair, Behavioral Health of Thomas Jefferson University.

About Acadia Healthcare

Acadia is a leading provider of behavioral healthcare services across the United States. As of June 30, 2022, Acadia operated a network of 239 behavioral healthcare facilities with approximately 10,600 beds in 39 states and Puerto Rico. With more than 22,500 employees serving approximately 70,000 patients daily, Acadia is the largest stand-alone behavioral health company in the U.S. Acadia provides behavioral healthcare services to its patients in a variety of settings, including inpatient psychiatric hospitals, specialty treatment facilities, residential treatment centers and outpatient clinics.

About Jefferson

Jefferson, located in the greater Philadelphia region and southern New Jersey, is reimagining health care and education to create unparalleled value. Jefferson is more than 42,000 people strong, dedicated to providing the highest-quality, compassionate clinical care for patients, preparing tomorrow's professional leaders for 21^st century careers, and conducting research leading to new discoveries on the basic science, clinical, population science and applied levels. Thomas Jefferson University, home of Sidney Kimmel Medical College, dates back to 1824 and today comprises 10 colleges and four schools offering over 200 undergraduate and graduate programs to 8,400 students. Jefferson Health serves patients through millions of encounters each year at 18 hospitals (ten are Magnet® designated by the ANCC for nursing excellence) and over 50 outpatient and urgent care locations throughout the region. Jefferson is also home to Health Partners Plans, a not-for-profit managed healthcare organization serving more than 290,000 members in Southeastern Pennsylvania with a broad range of health coverage options through Health Partners Medicare, Health Partners (Medicaid) and KidzPartners (Children's Health Insurance Program).

Angela Showell
Senior Director, News and Media Relations
Thomas Jefferson University
(215) 520-3154

Gretchen Hommrich
Vice President, Investor Relations
Acadia Healthcare
(615) 861-6000