WEST PEORIA, Ill. – The future is bright for the former Heddington Oaks facility in West Peoria.
At least, that’s how UnityPoint Central Illinois CEO Doctor Keith Knepp sees it, now that the hospital group has purchased it from the County, and intends on converting it into a central facility for treating and helping youth with mental health and substance abuse problems.
“We’re here today because this facility can be a hub for that,” said Knepp, “and help us to reduce racial injustice and health care inequities in this community, and make behavioral health and substance use disorders accessible and available to all.”
As many as 60 youth are admitted to Methodist Medical Center at a time for such treatment now, with more than 2,500 turned away in the last several years, forced to be sent to places like Chicago.
“Our goal is to provide comprehensive and the highest quality care in a healing environment,” said Mary Sparks Thompson, the new president of UnityPoint Health-UnityPlace. “We seek to be a model for the region, and indeed for the nation, in how to best deliver care for our most precious resource: our youth.”
It cost taxpayers $42 million more than a decade ago to build Heddington Oaks. Since then, it has depreciated to $30 million since, and UnityPoint is buying it for about a third of that.
The vote by the County Board Thursday to sell the facility was unanimous, but County Board Chair Andrew Rand says it still wasn’t easy.
“I had the distinct privilege [Thursday] night of chairing a (County Board) meeting that resulted in the culmination of Peoria County’s decision to exit the skilled nursing facility enterprise, and organizational mission that the county had managed for, I think, just over a hundred years,” said Rand.
Nevertheless, Rand says he’s excited to hear about UnityPouint’s plans to turn it into a inpatient mental health treatment facility for children and adolescents.
The overall project is being called the “Young Minds Project.” It’s seeking to raise $12 million of the estimated $24 million needed for the work being done. UnityPoint officials say an anonymous family has already committed to a $1 million matching gift.
CLICK HERE to find out more about the “Young Minds Project,” including how to donate.
