Mercer University School of Medicine, in partnership with the Georgia Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Disabilities and River Edge Behavioral Health, unveiled a groundbreaking new facility at a community open house on June 9 in Macon. This innovative center is designed to transform care for adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD) across Georgia.

The event was attended by Mercer representatives, including School of Medicine Dean Jean R. Sumner, M.D., FACP, and Mercer Center for IDD Care Medical Director Jonathan Smith, M.D., FACP, FAAP, as well as state and local officials. Community members were also invited to attend and tour the facility, located at 750 Hazel St.

This 34,000-square-foot, state-of-the-art diagnostic facility — the first of its kind in the state — will bring together under one roof River Edge’s short-term behavioral and crisis services with Mercer School of Medicine’s personalized, outpatient health care services.

Scheduled to open in August 2025, the Mercer University School of Medicine Center for IDD Care will offer a full spectrum of outpatient health services tailored to the unique and complex needs of adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities.

The Mercer Center for IDD Care will provide primary care services focused on diagnosing and treating a wide range of medical conditions, while supporting the overall health and well-being of this unique patient population. Plans are also underway to include specialty care, further strengthening the center’s integrated, patient-centered approach.

“Our goal is to treat the whole person,” Dr. Smith said. “Too often, patients with IDD are seen only through the lens of their disability. But like any adult, they face a range of health concerns — from hypertension and diabetes to behavioral health challenges — that require attentive, specialized care.”

In addition to comprehensive medical care, the center will offer several additional outpatient health care services. In partnership with the Dental College of Georgia, the center will have both routine and specialized dental care available. Outpatient therapy services will include physical therapy, occupational therapy and speech-language pathology. These services are designed not only to support patients at the center but also to serve as a model for expanding similar care across the state, allowing patients to receive treatment closer to home when possible.

Imaging services, including X-ray and mammography, will be available on site. These services aim to address significant disparities in cancer screenings for adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities. Appropriate imaging equipment and expertise can help cancers to be detected earlier, so timely treatment can be initiated.

To ensure convenience and continuity of care, the center will also include an on-site lab and pharmacy. This will enable patients to fill prescriptions during their visit.

Another feature of the facility is a soundproof audiology booth, which will help with early diagnosis and treatment of hearing conditions that often go undetected in patients with intellectual and developmental disabilities.

“The way individuals with IDD interact with their environment is deeply influenced by their sensory abilities. Identifying hearing issues early can make a significant difference in outcomes,” Dr. Smith said.

Beyond clinical services, the Center for IDD Care will serve as a hub for education and research. Mercer will train medical students, physicians and allied health professionals in the specialized skills needed to care for this population — developing future experts and leaders in IDD care.

Learn more about Mercer’s Center for IDD Care at mercerIDDcare.org.