Nick Vlahos
PEORIA — The UnityPoint Health-UnityPlace child and adolescent behavioral-health center could use a little care.
The facility at UnityPoint Health-Methodist in Peoria is old. It’s cramped. It has 23 beds, but, according to hospital officials, that number isn’t enough. Particularly these days, considering the psychological effects COVID-19 has had on some teenagers.
“We’ve kept it up, but it wasn’t designed to meet the needs of our patients,” said Dean Steiner, the UnityPlace chief operating officer.
UnityPlace is a UnityPoint Health division that handles addiction and mental-health services. It has a plan to rectify the physical problems of a 12,000-square-foot facility that serves children between ages 4 and 17.
A new location is planned that almost doubles the number of beds. In-patient and outpatient services are to be integrated there. Also planned are private rooms and space for group gatherings and for therapies that include art, exercise and music.
“All of that is designed to enhance the therapeutic and healing process,” Steiner said.
The plan is for the facility to be located in Peoria, Steiner said. No specific site has been selected, nor has a formal time line been determined.
Cost is expected to be a minimum of $24 million. That was the pre-pandemic price tag. UnityPlace Chief Financial Officer Ann Campen said the cost probably has risen, in line with COVID-related price increases in building materials.
Also rising in the wake of COVID, by 67%, is the number of Methodist emergency-department behavioral-health visits by teenagers younger than 18, according to Steiner. Anxiety and depression are among the reasons.
“It really tells us a story,” he said. “It tells us the need is there. It tells us the level of distress that kids and their families are under and really seeking help and wanting some support and some guidance in helping getting through this.
“(Kids’) lives, not unlike adults, were disrupted, but adults have a little more life experience beneath their belt. Their whole universe centers around family and school. All of that was disrupted when the pandemic hit.”
UnityPoint Health has pledged to finance about half the construction total, according to Campen. Fundraising is to account for another $6 million.
An additional $6 million might come from the federal government.
U.S. Rep. Darin LaHood included the UnityPlace project for possible funding through appropriations legislation for the 2022 fiscal year.
Each member of Congress is allowed 10 submissions. The proposed UnityPlace appropriation is the highest among the projects LaHood submitted.
“For me, this was really a home run for our community,” the Peoria Republican said about the request. “From everything I’ve heard, talking to the professionals, they’ve had to turn people away for lack of beds.
“Our medical industry and our medical footprint obviously is the future as we look at Peoria, and I think this complements this well. There was clearly a void in our community when it comes to behavioral health.”
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The sooner that physical void in the UnityPlace mental-health program is filled, the better, Campen suggested.
“The need is urgent,” she said. “We have to look at being good stewards with this money. We need to look at sustainability. We do want this to be a long-term commitment to this community.”
