The State Health Planning and Development Agency has approved the Certificate of Need by Children’s of Alabama for renovations. The project involves the building out of the 12th floor of the Benjamin Russell building, which is currently shelled space, to serve as a 50-bed unit for critical care patients. To better serve behavioral health patients, the hospital will renovate the 5th floor of the McWane building and operationalize 11 additional beds for the unit. Six bassinets will be added to the NICU.

Children’s licensed bed capacity will remain at 332. The project, which will cost nearly $55 million, will be completed in the fall of 2026.