Nationwide Children's Hospital and Big Lots Join Forces to Overcome Barriers to Children's Behavioral Health

Columbus is celebrating yet another great example of community-wide collaboration—the Big Lots Behavioral Health Pavilion—a $159 million, 386,000 square-foot-building dedicated to advance the treatment, research, and care associated with pediatric health.

I recently visited the new pavilion, and I was deeply touched by what this initiative represents for children, teens, and their families who live in Ohio and across the country. The lovely building, like Nationwide's approach, is hopeful, optimistic, and fully respectful of patients and families.

It's not just a transformational building that is opening, this unique approach to pediatric mental health helps break stigmas by opening wide the conversation for those dealing with mental health concerns. Nationwide Children's is committed to connecting physical and mental health, treating them as equally important.

Nationwide Children's reports that 22 percent of teens and 11 percent of children eight to eleven years old face mental illness. This new center will help address their need with research and treatment with both inpatient and extensive out-patient services, research, and psychiatric crisis.

The behavioral pavilion is made possible by a $50 million donation from Big Lots. A distinguished corporate sponsor, Big Lots associates are also generous supporters of Nationwide Children's with their time.

Columbus is a place where science and humanity go hand-in-hand.