The Sarasota Memorial Healthcare Foundation has announced a $10 million gift from Brian Cornell, the chair and CEO of Target Corp., and his wife, Martha, in support of a new behavioral health facility.

To be named the Cornell Family Behavioral Health Pavilion in recognition of the gift, the three-story facility slated to begin construction early next year will replace Sarasota Memorial's aging 1970s-era behavioral health hospital and include four inpatient units to serve different patient populations: a sixteen-bed geriatric unit, a twenty-two bed child and adolescent unit, a twenty-four-bed adult unit, and a twenty-two bed acute care unit. Units will have private rooms with large windows to let in natural light, and the first floor will include spaces for outpatient treatment and counseling programs.

"When someone is going through a crisis, it can be frightening to go into a facility that looks old and institutional," said Sarasota Memorial Health Care System president and CEO David Verinder. "The Cornells' gift will help transform that experience, ensuring the people of our community have a warm, welcoming place where they can feel safe and get help through what may be the most difficult days of their lives."

"I have the privilege of leading a team of more than 350,000 people and have seen firsthand the power of creating a culture that is built on care, prioritizes mental health and well-being, and provides resources, space, and support for all families," said Cornell. "I've also recognized the importance of humanizing this topic — eliminating the stigma that discourages some from seeking the support they need, while increasing access to care that places people at the center. I hope this project shines much-needed light on the importance of comprehensive behavioral health care, and spurs others to support this project and others like it across the country."