St. Louis, MO (PRWEB) November 01, 2013 -- Preferred Family Healthcare (PFH), a leading provider of adult and adolescent substance use treatment services in Missouri and Kansas, recently unveiled construction plans for two new treatment facilities: The Adult Center at 4066 Dunnica Ave., and the Adolescent Center at 3634 Gravois Ave. PFH purchased and cleared the two land parcels earlier this year, clearing the way for ground-up construction totaling more than $11 million for the two facilities.
The Dunnica Ave. adult facilities will be a 24,000-square-foot building situated on 1.15 acres, featuring 16 residential beds, 12 offices, 2 nurse’s stations, doctor’s office, community/recreation rooms and enclosed courtyard area. Construction will be headed up by T.S. Banze, and costs are estimated at $5.8 million. The building should be completed by September 2014. Once the facilities open, it expects to treat approximately 900 consumers annually.
The Gravois Ave. adolescent facilities will be a 24,000-square-foot building situated on 1.5 acres, with many of the same amenities as the Dunnica Ave. location, with the addition of a family visitation area. Construction will be headed up by RC Excavating, and costs are estimated at $5.6 million. The building should be completed by June 2015. Once open, the adolescent facilities will treat approximately 120 consumers annually.
“The new adult and adolescent treatment facilities in South St. Louis represent a significant investment for Preferred Family Healthcare, as well as a model for service enhancements throughout our organization,” said Jim Wallis, Senior Vice President of Business Development and Public Affairs for Preferred Family Healthcare. “Like so many cities, St. Louis experiences a tremendous shortage of residential treatment options. We are proud to expand our footprint in St. Louis, and we look forward to providing an unparalleled atmosphere for treatment.”
In addition to the construction jobs created through these two projects, the completed facilities will each employ 35-40 employees, including 15 new jobs at the Dunnica Ave. facilities and 20 new jobs at the Gravois Ave. location.
According to the Missouri Department of Mental Health, substance use impacts the State of Missouri to the tune of $1.3 billion annually (MO DMH, 2008), equating to a $17,300 cost to society per person who does not receive treatment. Costs related to consumers seeking treatment are far less, averaging $3,147. PFH’s anticipated cost per participant is lower than this comparative figure. The adult facilities alone could generate a positive financial impact of $12,567,864 per year based on these numbers, and that does not include the economic impact due to construction jobs and full-time employment opportunities.
Missouri Tax Programs provide opportunities for donors
To help supplement construction costs, PFH recently applied – and qualified – for tax credits under the Missouri Department of Economic Development’s Neighborhood Assistance Program (NAP) and Youth Opportunities Program (YOP). Through these programs, PFH is hoping to raise $1,000,000 total for the two projects. Donors through these programs have an opportunity to qualify for tax benefits averaging nearly 72 percent for donations of $500 or more. One hundred percent of these donations directly benefit these construction projects, while donors’ out-of-pocket costs end up being a fraction of the donated amount.
About Preferred Family Healthcare
Preferred Family Healthcare is a behavioral health organization that provides adult and adolescent substance use disorder treatment services, treating more than 10,000 consumers annually in 33 facilities throughout Missouri and in Kansas. The organization offers adult and adolescent consumers a variety of programs with varying intensities to engage them in prevention and treatment services including outpatient treatment, community-based programs, therapeutic creative arts, camps, virtual counseling, and residential services. For more information, visit http://www.pfh.org.
For more information about donation opportunities through the NAP or YOP opportunities, please contact Matt Strate at 314-584-1010 ext. 25, or, mstrate(at)pfh(dot)org.
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Paul Byrne, Byrne PR, http://www.byrnepr.net, 314-737-1847, [email protected]
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