Prisma Health is preparing to significantly expand its behavioral health capabilities in the Upstate thanks to a historic contribution from Tecsys. The Montreal-based supply chain software company recently donated five million dollars toward a new 138 million dollar hospital, marking the largest philanthropic gift ever given to psychiatry within the Prisma system. This investment arrives at a critical moment for the region, as local families continue to struggle with a severe shortage of available psychiatric care.
The scale of the crisis became evident last year when Prisma was forced to transfer over 3,000 patients to other facilities across South Carolina and the country due to a lack of available beds. To combat this, the upcoming facility will nearly double the area’s current capacity, offering 112 licensed beds for patients aged five and older. While adults will have 72 dedicated beds, the impact on youth services will be even more dramatic, with child and adolescent capacity quadrupling to 40 beds.
For Dave Brereton, the founder of Tecsys, the decision to donate was driven by deep personal experience rather than corporate strategy. Having served as a foster parent to children facing behavioral health challenges, Brereton noted that mental health crises affect entire families, not just individuals. He emphasized that proximity and environment play vital roles in recovery, which is why the new design prioritizes healing elements like natural light, three-season porches, and outdoor courtyards overlooking nature.
Scheduled to open on March 14, the three-story hospital off SC 153 near Easley holds a poetic connection to its predecessor. Its opening date falls exactly 58 years after the doors first opened at Marshall I. Pickens Hospital in 1969, which will eventually be demolished. Funded through a combination of state support and private donations via the Hope Forward campaign, the project represents a major shift toward modernizing how mental illness is treated in the community.
