Chicago Construction News staff writer
Carle Health has started the demolition and construction on the future home of Trillium Place Young Minds Center, an affiliate of Carle Health. The new facility in West Peoria will serve the children and adolescents.
Following a stage of demolition, P.J. Hoerr will launch construction on the $25-$30 million center.
The healthcare system is focusing renovation efforts on transitioning the space from a nursing home to a youth-based center, meeting the safety and regulatory standards of an inpatient behavioral health facility. The new center will feature a kid-friendly atmosphere with bright colors, activity rooms for therapy and recreation services and outdoor spaces.
Renovations will transform the property purchased in 2022 into a site with youth-centered inpatient mental health services for children ages 4-17 years and outpatient mental health and addiction services. The center will provide kids and their families with comprehensive behavioral health care close to home.
“At the heart of this project is the kids of our community,” says Mary Sparks Thompson, president of Trillium Place, an affiliate of Carle Health. “Every design and construction decision was made from the viewpoint of the kids and families in need of services. We want our center to be a home away from home, a safe and comfortable place to gain the skills and support needed during their time with us in inpatient or outpatient services.”
The center will increase inpatient beds in Peoria from 23 to 44 beds, adding intensive outpatient and partial hospitalization programming, and increasing access to outpatient clinic services for children and adolescents. It will also provide a one-stop location for youth services, offering counseling, psychiatry, crisis services, addiction services and inpatient mental health services all in one facility.
“We are grateful for the generosity and support of our community,” says Nicole Hayse, executive director of Carle Health Center for Philanthropy Greater Peoria. “Our community partnered with us to make this vision a reality, allowing us to grow and innovate services to provide the best care possible to our youth.
“These gifts and ongoing support from our community will aid children and families in accessing care when they need it.”
The name for the new behavioral health center symbolizes the growth experienced by the young minds who are receiving life-changing services. Trillium, stemming from the trillium plant native to Illinois, is representative of growth and fostering strong roots of resiliency in the youth served. The Young Minds Center will serve as a supportive environment to improve well-being and create a healthier future for youth in our community.
In 1988, the organization opened a specialized inpatient unit for adolescents, which expanded in 1996 to serve children as young as 4 years of age.
“Carle Health is invested in serving the children and families of our community with the high-quality care and access to the behavioral health services they deserve,” said Napoleon Knight, MD, executive vice president and chief medical officer of Carle Health. “Our goal is to provide opportunities to address mental health concerns at the earliest age possible to put our children in the best position to thrive.”
Trillium Place Young Minds Center is expected to open in early 2024.
