On Tuesday, Duke Health and UNC Health filed articles of incorporation with the state following the September announcement that the two institutions would partner to bring NC Children’s, a non-profit organization, to the Research Triangle area. The partnership promises to bring a 500-bed children’s hospital, children’s outpatient care center, and children’s behavioral health center with an estimated price tag of $2 billion.
“North Carolina is home to incredible medical schools, incredible research hubs, yet we do not have a free-standing hospital,” said NC Senate President Pro Tempore Phil Berger, R-Rockingham, during the announcement. “We are the largest state, population-wise, that does not have such a hospital, and we are a growing state. We just passed 11 million people, and we’re poised to continue to see that growth as we go forward. But that’s one of the reasons that this is such an exciting project as far as I’m concerned…This campus, through its’ construction and operation, will create thousands of jobs and be among the largest economic development projects in the history of the state of North Carolina. This is a win for the economy and for our children’s health, and for our state’s infrastructure.”
For a decade, both institutions have aimed to bring a free-standing children’s hospital to North Carolina. The hospital would be the first of its kind in the state, serving as the flagship hospital comparable, clinically and academically, to top children’s hospitals in the country. Moreover, an adolescent hospital would also be housed within, according to the September announcement.
Big news for the Triangle! UNC Health and @DukeHealth announce a new level of care – a state-of-the-art children’s hospital. When it comes to caring for our community, we’re stronger together.
See more about this exciting collaboration! https://t.co/4xCtBFqqOT pic.twitter.com/mFOJrCBwtp
— UNC Health (@UNC_Health_Care) January 28, 2025
“Today’s announcement between UNC Health and Duke Health to create North Carolina’s Children’s will end up saving the lives of countless children for generations to come,” said Gov. Josh Stein during the event. “It will also help to shape the economic future of our state.”
In the 2023 budget, almost $320 million dollars was appropriated for the project, according to the Joint Conference Committee Report on the Current Appropriations Act of 2023.

“The need is real,” continued Stein. “North Carolina is the most populous state in this nation that does not have a free standing, independent children’s hospital. There isn’t one between Atlanta and Washington D.C…This hospital will generate billions of dollars in economic activity in North Carolina.”
The partnership between the two health systems will enable their clinical teams to enhance and expand existing pediatric programs and research efforts, according to a press release. Together, they will establish a leading destination for top pediatric subspecialists, researchers, residents, and fellows.
Launch: Duke Health and @UNC_Health_Care, 2 of the world’s top academic health systems, unite to create a new children’s health system – NC’s first freestanding hospital to care for kids.
See more about the effort and timeline here: https://t.co/DKMQBbGf8h@Duke_Childrens pic.twitter.com/tsRgrYkkR6
— Duke Health (@DukeHealth) January 28, 2025
“It’s exciting to see two of our region’s healthcare leaders come together to build a brand-new hospital focused exclusively on serving youth,” Wake County Commissioner Shinica Thomas told the Carolina Journal. “This specialized center will help meet the increasing demand for medical treatment and behavioral health services for children from within our community and across the country.”
Construction on the project is set to begin in 2027 and is expected to take six years. The hospital is anticipated to open in the early 2030s. However, the children’s behavioral health hospital, ambulatory surgical center, and/or the medical office building may open several years earlier.
“As a former practicing pediatrician, I cannot express to you how grateful I am to be in this partnership that will shape the way we continue to care for the youngest members of our communities for generations to come,” said Dr. Craig Albanese, MD, CEO of Duke University Health System. “Which is why we are delighted that Duke Health and UNC Health have joined forces to create North Carolina Children’s.”