By Anna Beahm | abeahm@al.com

The Birmingham VA Medical Center is planning to open a mental health clinic in Fall 2021.

The approximately 60,000 square-foot, 2-story clinic will be at 7901 Crestwood Blvd. The space also includes 450 surface parking spaces. Officials expect the new clinic will serve about 25,000 veterans each year.

“The new location will allow the Department to open a new facility in a timely and efficient manner and provide Veterans in the Birmingham area better access to high quality, reliable health care,” said Medical Center Director Stacy Vasquez.

All VA mental health services will be provided at the new clinic, freeing space in the downtown VA hospital for other services, officials said.

The Department of Veterans Affairs signed a 20-year lease agreement to acquire the space, officials said. The Birmingham VA will provide $14 million in construction and renovation costs. The total cost of the 20-year acquisition is $76,574,581 over the life of the lease, officials said.

Programs to be offered at the clinic include suicide prevention, outpatient general mental health, outpatient post-traumatic stress disorder treatment, outpatient substance abuse treatment, a mental health day program, outpatient group psychotherapy, outpatient psychiatry, in-home intensive case management, couples and family therapy, a mental health new patient clinic, telehealth programs, intern and resident training, peer support and homeless programs, officials said.