Sweetser breaks ground on Maine’s first youth psychiatric residential treatment facility

Local and state leaders and dignitaries gathered Thursday morning at the Sweetser campus in Saco for the groundbreaking of Maine’s first youth psychiatric residential treatment facility. The need for such a facility is great, and really struck a chord with one elected official.

Governor Janet Mills shared the story of her brother David, who struggled with schizophrenia until he died a few years ago.

She said when David was 16-years-old  he frequently ran away from home.

“In his teenage years, I will never forget, my parents were trying to figure out, ‘What’s wrong with David, What’s wrong with David, what can we do?’ He just wouldn’t behave,” she said. “The word schizophrenia was kind of new then. We didn’t know what to do.”

Mills said her brother received help from Sweetser and other organizations and became a productive member of society.

She said today, 19,000 children statewide, including 3,000 in York County, receive some level of behavioral health treatment through MaineCare. There are many families who do not have a place to go for help, and the future 16-bed facility at Sweetser will fill a gap in Maine.

“Today marks the next chapter in a near decades long effort by the State of Maine,” she said.

According to information from Sweetser, there are currently about 70 youth being sent out of state to residential facilities for psychiatric care. Young people seeking treatment are being sent away as far away as Oklahoma and Florida. More than 100 youth are waiting for an out-of-state placement, and many wait in emergency rooms for weeks or months due to the lack of available programs.

“Every groundbreaking ceremony marks a transition from what is possible to what is permanent. Together we are establishing a permanent foundation of support for families navigating their hardest moments,” said Sweetser Chief Communications Officer Justin Chenette

Sweetser’s residential treatment facility will be located at its campus at 50 Moody St., Saco. The $7.9 million project will renovate an existing 8,000 square foot residential building.

Governor Janet Mills and Sweetser President and CEO Jayne Van Bramer, center pose for a ground-breaking photo with local legislators. PHOTO BY LIZ GOTTHELF

Chenette said the state has invested $5.4 million in the project. Sweetser has launched the Build Hope Campaign to raise the remaining $2.5 million, and so far has received over $500,000 in donations.

Chenette thanked Mills and local legislators for securing money toward the project.

“We are gathered here to turn dirt, but what we are really doing is building possibility. This groundbreaking marks the beginning of something much larger than a building,” said Sweetser President and CEO Jayne Van Bramer. “It represents a commitment by our state, our community and our partners to children and families facing some of life’s most difficult challenges. It represents our belief that every child deserves access to care, healing and the opportunity to thrive.”

To learn more about the Build Hope campaign, go to Sweetser.org/buildhope.

Saco Bay News Publisher Liz Gotthelf can be reached at newsdesk@sacobaynews.com.