Imagine a parent, tormented with worry, watching their child consumed by a mental health crisis. The despair deepens with each passing moment, compounded by the chilling realization that help is not just around the corner. This dark reality is worsened by the scarcity of specialized youth crisis centers in the northeast region and across the state of Kansas.
Currently, youth under the age of 18 can access the urgent care services at the Treatment & Recovery Center (TRC) of Douglas County for assessment, evaluations, and crisis intervention. However, if a child’s mental health diagnosis demonstrates a need to be admitted for hospitalization, they cannot receive those services in Douglas County. Both the TRC and LMH Health are unable to provide the specific services required to provide inpatient psychiatric care for children and youth.
We define "crisis" as situations where stressors and symptoms exceed a youth's coping abilities and pose safety concerns within the community.
For families seeking help in Douglas County, the closest facilities are 35 miles away in Topeka and Kansas City, Kansas, creating a substantial barrier to care, especially for those with the most limited resources.
Bert Nash Center (BNC) purchased the Youth Recovery Center (YRC) building at 3500 Clinton Place, Lawrence in Spring 2023, through a transformative charitable sale, which requires a remodel of the building. Upon opening, the YRC will ensure children and youth suffering from serious behavioral health challenges, including suicidal ideation, and/or substance use, have access to necessary care within our community without fear of being turned away.
This progression of services and individualization of treatment planning will allow us to uniquely adapt services to each youth throughout their recovery. It is no exaggeration to say that with the opening of the YRC, lives will be saved.
Most importantly, this facility will address the pressing need for dedicated emergency psychiatric care for young individuals, and it will be the first of its kind not only in the state of Kansas, but in the region.
Daniel and Sally talk about their experience receiving crisis care at the Treatment & Recovery Center of Douglas County followed by supportive services through Bert Nash.
“Knowing you’re in a calm, safe place is very reassuring because it’s a terrible position to be in as the parent, it’s terrible for the child who is struggling and is in crisis, they are frightened and sad, not feeling themselves, and worried about what will happen when they get there, and what will happen they leave ... having something just for children & teens will be even better.” – Sally, Daniel's Mom
“Kids may not want to hear it, but you can do it. I did it. I hated my life, I didn’t want to live and now I’m here.”
– Daniel, BNC Youth Client
The YRC will offer short-term crisis intervention services for youth. It will be the state’s first dedicated facility of this kind, offering 24/7 mental health assessments, treatment, and intensive clinical crisis care. The crisis center will offer overnight stays of 2-3 days for more acute care, with 8 individual beds available for those needing overnight stay. In addition to this new service model, BNC’s existing range of services for youth, including outpatient therapy, psychological assessments, intensive outpatient treatment, and other behavioral health supports will move to the YRC and be expanded.
Medication to treat serious psychiatric and withdrawal symptoms.
Client safety through observation by trained staff in a controlled environment.
Care coordination that ensures the client will have supports after emergency care, including medication and intensive therapy programs, such as Dialectical Behavioral Therapy and Intensive Outpatient Therapy.
We are thrilled to announce that our future facility will be named ‘The Judge Jean Shepherd Youth Recovery Center’, in honor of Judge Jean Shepherd, a distinguished leader dedicated to youth welfare.
This exciting development is underscored by a transformative anonymous lead gift of $1.5 million, which celebrates Judge Shepherd's legacy.
The Judge Jean Shepherd Youth Recovery Center, once completed, will provide specialized behavioral health services to youth and families in crisis. It is envisioned as a state-of-the-art facility designed to deliver a comprehensive suite of services in a supportive and therapeutic environment, ensuring that every young individual and their family can access the care they need here at home.
We are grateful for our donors' generosity, which enables us to advance our mission and ensure that Judge Shepherd's profound impact on our community is celebrated and continued.
Our summer youth groups offered feedback on the Youth Recovery Center room design, colors, and logos. We're grateful for their valuable feedback.
To start making an immediate impact on the lives of children and youth, $12 million must be raised as soon as possible to renovate YRC. The time frame to achieve this funding is set at 24-36 months. We expect completion of the project in 2027.
Our strategy involves braiding funding from various sources, including state, local, & private philanthropic support from individuals, foundations, and corporations.
It’s important to note that all services planned for in this location have strong financial support through existing mechanisms and payors, inclusive of our Certified Community Behavioral Health Clinic (CCBHC) designation, making the upfront capital investment a sound return on investment.
If you are interested in this opportunity, contact Emily Farley, Chief Advancement Officer, or you can give now at the button below.
Direct: (785) 830-1745
Cell: (620) 757-6097
Bert Nash Center
200 Maine St, Ste A
Lawrence, KS 66044
"Healthy children make healthy families which will translate to a healthy community and state. We are happy to endorse the work of the Youth Recovery Center. I can't think of a more important endeavor than meeting the needs of children, youth, and families when they are in crisis, and we are happy to partner with Bert Nash in this important project."
"Mental health crisis support and services for our young people is vitally important, especially when they're facing crisis situations that put their immediate health and well-being at risk. From all corners of our society, we are hearing of the need for improved crisis services for young people facing mental health and addiction hardships. We see this need reflected in media stories, data from our school districts and public health departments, feedback from our physicians and clinicians in the emergency room and primary care clinics, and the personal experiences of friends, family and acquaintances.
We are grateful to Bert Nash Center for their expanded programs and services that provide care for our young people in crisis. The Youth Recovery Center will be an important component of the continuum of services we are developing in this community. LMH Health is proud to collaborate with BNC in caring for our community’s physical, emotional, behavioral, preventative, chronic and crisis health conditions. This will be another important aspect of that care."
“Heartland Community Health Center, the Federally Qualified Health Center (FQHC) in Douglas County, KS, is proud to express our full support for the Bert Nash Center’s initiative to establish the Youth Recovery Center (YRC). The groundbreaking project will introduce essential services to children, teens and families in our community, such as a psychiatric emergency and crisis intervention program and expanded intensive outpatient services for mental health and substance use.”
Ashley Bloom & Jay Warring
Jerree Catlin
Cathy Dinh
Jane Fevurly
Chris & Jalon Hutchens
Jon & Vicki Jamison
Shea & Ryan Kruse
Kiley Luckett
Jean Shepherd
Beth & Val Stella
Cindy Yulich
