JACKSONVILLE, Florida—Brooks Rehabilitation, a nonprofit provider of outpatient, home health and skilled nursing services for people with physical disabilities, announced plans to expand to meet the increasing need for its specialized physical rehabilitation services.
Scheduled to begin in 2026, the organization announced it will undertake three major construction projects representing a capital investment of approximately $68 million and the creation of 150 new jobs. These projects include an expansion of the Brooks Rehabilitation Hospital-Bartram Campus, an expansion of the Orange Park, Florida, outpatient clinic and a project to double the capacity of Helen's House, Brooks' family and patient housing.
"At Brooks, we firmly believe in a patient-centered approach to care, which includes supporting families and communities throughout their recovery process," said Doug Baer, president and CEO of Brooks Rehabilitation. "This substantial investment reflects our unwavering commitment to providing world-class rehabilitation solutions and ensuring that every individual has access to the highest quality rehabilitation services."
The organization said the largest of the three initiatives is the expansion of the Brooks Rehabilitation Hospital-Bartram Campus. With a projected investment of $47 million, this project will add 48 new beds to the facility with the option to expand in the future. Brooks said the expansion is critical for accommodating patients recovering from complex conditions such as brain injuries, spinal cord injuries, strokes, transplants or other disabling illnesses. The hospital will also add an innovation studio, a new area for both therapists and patients to utilize rehabilitation technology. In addition to technologies to facilitate recovery, this studio will feature different smart home and assistive technologies to help ease a patient's transition back to home after their injury.
Brooks said it is also investing approximately $16 million to double the size of Helen's House. This hospitality house, located across the street from Brooks' University campus, offers affordable, temporary lodging to patients and their caregivers who travel across the country and internationally for the expertise of the Brooks clinical teams. By expanding this facility, Brooks ensures that more families can remain close to their loved ones during the rehabilitation journey.
Additionally, the Orange Park outpatient clinic will undergo a $5.4 million expansion. This project will add 7,000 sq ft. to the existing operations, with 2,100 sq. ft. for a new pediatric feeding and swallowing clinic. The state of Florida provided a portion of the funding for this specialized service.
Construction is also continuing for Brooks' new 80,000-square-foot inpatient rehabilitation hospital on Mayo Clinic's Phoenix campus in Arizona. That hospital is scheduled to be completed by the end of 2026.
All three Jacksonville projects will begin construction in 2026 with plans to be completed in 2027 and early 2028. Brooks said it will continue to evaluate options to expand or add facilities over the next several years in the Jacksonville market to keep pace with the rapid growth in the area.