Dade County Welcomes Parkridge Health System’s Announcement of Proposed Freestanding
Emergency Department
TRENTON, Ga. (July 31, 2026) — Dade County is welcoming today’s announcement from Parkridge Health System regarding its plans to seek state approval for a new $18 million freestanding emergency department in Trenton.
Parkridge Health System announced it will apply for a Certificate of Need (CON) with the Georgia Office of Health Planning and the Georgia Department of Community Health to establish the proposed Parkridge Dade ER, which would provide 24-hour emergency care, seven days a week, for patients of all ages.
For Dade County, which currently has no hospital or urgent care facility, the announcement represents a significant milestone toward expanding access to emergency healthcare for residents.
Improving access to healthcare was one of County Executive Don Townsend’s central campaign commitments during the 2024 election. Immediately after taking office in January 2025, Townsend began meeting with HCA Healthcare leadership to explore opportunities to bring emergency medical services to Dade County. Those discussions continued over the next 18 months and led to today’s announcement.
“This is an exciting day for Dade County,” Townsend said. “From the day I took office, improving access to healthcare has been one of my highest priorities. When I ran for County Executive, I committed to pursuing opportunities that would improve healthcare services for our community, and I immediately began working toward that goal.”