Mizell Memorial Hospital was approved for two new psychiatric care beds for its inpatient geriatric program.

A certificate of need, effective June 7, was issued to Brookwood Medical Center in Birmingham for the expansion of psychiatric care services at its rural acute care hospital in Opp.

The cost of the project, including first-year operating costs, will be $520,000 and the facility will have a total of 14 psychiatric care beds after the expansion.

In January, MMH CEO Jana Wyatt said that Mizell has fulfilled every commitment made to the board in its 2008 application for 12 beds, and the program’s request for six additional beds in order to expand existing services is now timely.

Last week, the hospital was granted two new beds.

In January, Wyatt said the program has earned confidence of multiple referral sources in the area, including hospital staff, physicans at area hospitals, community service agencies, home health agencies, nursing homes and local courts.

The tentative project completion time is set for Oct. 1.