State, local leaders tout need for Burrell Behavioral Health’s Youth Resiliency Campus at groundbreaking

Missouri youths aged 13-17 will soon have round-the-clock access to crisis-level support in Springfield, an enhancement of available care celebrated at a Sept. 18 groundbreaking for Burrell Behavioral Health’s Youth Resiliency Campus.

The first phase of Burrell campus, supported through major local and state funding investments, is expected to be completed in approximately 18-24 months. Once fully completed, the first-of-its-kind behavioral health facility will serve youth and their families with a variety of services. They will include a 24/7 Youth Behavioral Crisis Center, a variety of intensive outpatient programs, partial hospitalization, and a long-term youth residential facility.

“Suicide rates, depression, and anxiety are on the rise. And together we have an opportunity as a community to make a difference addressing each of those concerns,” said Dr. C.J. Davis, CEO of Brightli, Burrell’s parent company. “The vision of the people at this event – these dedicated county, state, city leaders – are saving lives together.”

Dozens of community and state leaders gathered at the future site of the Youth Resiliency Campus, which is intentionally located next to Perimeter Behavioral Hospital just off of Interstate 44. Knowing that the campus will provide a region-wide option for families with children in crisis, reinforced the decision to build it just a few miles from an interstate exit.

The Youth Behavioral Crisis Center highlights the first phase of construction and is made possible by a $5.3 million American Recovery Plan Act allocation from Greene County and $1 million from the Department of Mental Health. The residential portion is funded by $5 million allocated to the project in this year’s Missouri state budget and administered through DMH.

During the groundbreaking ceremony, Greene County Presiding Commissioner Bob Dixon said the YBCC was the first and largest recipient selected for ARPA funding. The reason, he said, is because so many applications seeking funding pointed to one need in the community – mental health services. Dixon said that after having helped fund Burrell’s adult Behavioral Crisis Center in Springfield, it made sense for the county to invest in services that expand access to walk-in crisis care.

“We decided to go early and big, and I'm so proud of the Burrell team and the partnership on the original [adult] crisis center. And we knew that we needed to address the needs of youth,” Dixon said. He added: “What we're doing today will be a point of hope for countless youth in our county, but much bigger than that… In our region.”

Missouri Lt. Gov. Mike Kehoe said he has known young people who have been on the other end of the phone when told they needed to wait three days to receive care in a crisis. Kehoe said the Youth Resiliency Campus is designed to change that unacceptable experience for young people in southwest Missouri and across the state, while applauding the cooperation that made the facility a reality.

“This couldn't be a more perfect example of that collaboration and what it takes in a community to put something like this together,” Lt. Gov. Kehoe said.

You can learn more about this facility and the services it includes at www.burrellcenter.com/youth-resiliency-campus.