BRADLEY COUNTY SITE SCRAPPED FOR NEW MOCCASIN BEND MENTAL HEALTH FACILITY
At a Bradley County Commission meeting on December 16, 2025, residents and commissioners expressed shock and frustration over a surprise proposal by the Tennessee Department of Mental Health to build a new replacement facility for Chattanooga’s Moccasin Bend Mental Health Institute on land off Exit 20 on Pleasant Grove Road. Many locals and officials, including Commissioner Josh Rogers and resident Matthew Whitmire, criticized the lack of community input, prior meetings, or transparency, viewing it as an overreach that would negatively impact nearby schools, businesses, and growth in the area.
County leaders learned of the plan only days earlier and had no involvement in the site selection. The commission unanimously voted to oppose the location, prompting swift action from State Senator Adam Lowe, who relayed the concerns to the department. The state quickly responded by removing the Bradley County property from consideration, agreeing to seek a more suitable site elsewhere, leaving residents relieved as the ongoing search for a new mental health facility continues.
