Chapel Hill, N.C.-based UNC Health will lay off 246 employees after it ends services at a behavioral health facility in Raleigh on Sept. 30, according to a WARN notice filed July 21 with the North Carolina Department of Commerce.
UNC has been providing care at the facility, WakeBrook Behavioral Health, for 10 years. WakeBrook is owned by Wake County, which is searching for a new provider and aims to keep the facility open.
Affected employees include nurses, nursing assistants and behavioral health workers. As of Sept. 30, they will no longer be employed at WakeBrook, according to the health system.
UNC said it has established a program to find affected workers new positions within the health system.
"We will provide WakeBrook teammates with priority access to interviews and applicable job openings while continuing their current pay and benefits," a spokesperson for UNC told Becker's. "UNC Health operates a large network of hospitals and clinics across the Triangle, and we will collaborate with each employee to identify new positions that fit their experience and interest."
Some WakeBrook employees will transition to positions at UNC Health Rex in Raleigh, UNC Medical Center in Chapel Hill and the system's new behavioral health hospital in Butner.
"Our goal is to ensure a seamless transition for our employees who have been dedicated to delivering exceptional care to WakeBrook patients," UNC said in a statement.