Recently, the proposed site for the new Moccasin Bend Mental Health Institute along Tunnel Boulevard in Chattanooga’s Eastdale neighborhood was officially ruled out due to community concerns, particularly about increased traffic in an area with at least 10 distinct communities.

State Representative Yusuf Hakeem canceled a related town hall, and Senator Bo Watson confirmed that the Tennessee Department of General Services is now exploring other locations, with over 45 sites considered so far and no set timeline for the project.

Currently, two viable sites are under review: one on Amnicola Highway, north of the train overpass toward Highway 153, which Hakeem described as “a pretty good site,” and another north of Erlanger Hospital, valued for its accessibility to public transportation. In September 2024, Governor Bill Lee’s office paused plans to rebuild the hospital at its current Moccasin Bend location, responding to an archaeological review and pressure from Native American groups, including the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians, who oppose construction on the site due to its historical significance.

The existing Moccasin Bend peninsula, where the hospital has operated since 1961 serving 52 East Tennessee counties, holds evidence of 10,000 years of human habitation and is linked to the Trail of Tears, a painful chapter in American history where thousands of Cherokee were detained before their forced relocation. Initially, in summer 2023, Tennessee lawmakers approved rebuilding the hospital at its current location, but the cultural and historical value of the site has driven ongoing debates, pushing the state to seek a more suitable location for the new facility.