But that problem has been solved.
Preferred Family Healthcare, a comprehensive behavioral health non-profit organization providing substance abuse treatment/prevention and mental health services throughout the states of Missouri and Kansas, was only eight weeks away from completing an 18-month building project in the Joplin community. Plans had been under way to open a 32-bed adolescent substance abuse unit and the agency was counting down the days towards that grand opening.
It was an unsettling feeling as we made our way through the chaos towards that building. We discovered that the tornado had touched down less than 1/8 of a mile from the new building and no damages occurred at that site, said Mike Schwend, CEO/President of Preferred Family Healthcare.
The Missouri Department of Mental Health convinced Schwend to sell the new building to St. John's.
It was one of the most difficult, yet easiest decisions I have ever had to make for Preferred Family Healthcare, difficult because it was a building that represented a great deal of hard work and dreams for many of our staff, easy because it was the right thing to do for the Joplin community Schwend said.
Due to the fact that Preferred has the ability to assess and refer adolescents to other residential programs they operate in the state of Missouri, area adolescents suffering from substance abuse problems will continue to receive uninterrupted services, and will continue to be treated as outpatients in Preferreds remaining building when they return from residential care.
Reestablishing inpatient psychiatric services at St. Johns after the storm was identified as a critical need and top priority for St. Johns Mercy. With the purchase of the facility, St. Johns will be able to provide these services again within the next several months. We cant thank the Governor, Dr. Keith Schafer and Preferred Family Healthcare, Inc for their efforts in assisting Mercy in reestablishing these services in the community, Kim Day, president of Mercy Central Communities said.
Comments