Bert Nash Community Mental Health Center Announces $25,000 Grant from Security Benefit to Advance Youth Recovery Center
- Bert Nash Center
- 1 day ago
- 2 min read
The Bert Nash Community Mental Health Center, in partnership with Security Benefit, today announced a $25,000 grant to support construction of the Judge Jean Shepherd Youth Recovery Center — a new youth-focused crisis, stabilization, and outpatient treatment facility being developed at 3500 Clinton Place in Lawrence.
“This generous gift from Security Benefit is a powerful investment in the future of youth mental health in Douglas County and a strong collective statement of belief in the people we serve,” said Dr. Kirsten Watkins, Interim CEO of the Bert Nash Center. “With this support, we are one step closer to opening the Youth Recovery Center and creating a place where children, teens, and families can receive urgent, compassionate care close to home, rather than being sent hours away during some of the most difficult moments of their lives.”
Douglas County currently lacks a dedicated facility for youth psychiatric crisis care, forcing families to travel out of the region or wait for services when time matters most. The Youth Recovery Center will fill that gap by providing 24/7 crisis intervention, short-term stabilization, and outpatient mental health and substance use treatment in a single, purpose-built facility designed specifically for youth and their families.
Security Benefit CEO Doug Wolff said enhancing and expanding regional mental health services, especially for youth, is a key focus of the company’s Charitable Trust.
“We appreciate Bert Nash’s visionary leadership in addressing this serious need in Douglas County,” Wolff said. “Their initiative will expedite the delivery of high-quality care locally and make stressful situations more bearable for burdened families.”
The Bert Nash Center has now raised $6.3 million toward its $12 million campaign goal, moving the project beyond the halfway point. As the campaign continues, Bert Nash Center will enter a public phase of fundraising this spring, inviting the broader community to help bring the Youth Recovery Center to life.
“This partnership is about a shared commitment,” Watkins said. “Security Benefit’s leadership helps inspire others to step forward and be part of something that will save lives and strengthen families.”
The Youth Recovery Center will open after the remaining funds are raised and construction is completed.
For more information about the Youth Recovery Center or how to support the campaign, visit www.bertnash.org/yrc
About the Bert Nash Center: Established in 1950, the Bert Nash Center (BNC) serves as Douglas County, Kansas’ designated community mental health center & the Certified Community Behavioral Health Clinic (CCBHC). BNC is the safety-net provider to anyone grappling with mental health or substance use issues - regardless of diagnosis, residence, or financial status. Our mission is to advance the mental health of the Douglas County community through comprehensive behavioral health services responsive to evolving needs and changing environments.
Media Contact: Daniel B. Smith
Community Engagement Coordinator
200 Maine St. Ste A, Lawrence KS 66044
(785)-830-1854
