BUTTE - Shodair Children’s Hospital has opened a branch in Butte recently to provide mental health services that are lacking in the community.
“Services for children that are suffering with mental illness, and families as well, are really thin in Montana. We’re just trying to expand those service, keep people out of the emergency room,” said John Brewer, the chief clinical officer for Shodair.
The outpatient facility is located on South Clark Street, but, for now, therapists are serving patients online to practice social distancing. Shodair decided to expand to Butte after seeing a need for this type of specialized treatment.
“With Acadia closing, that kind of mental health staple in the Butte community went away and that is a really important community in Montana and services are really thin right now,” said Brewer.
And in this uncertain time of quarantine, officials with Shodair say it will be even more important to have a facility like this so close to home.
“This is a time that, with all the isolation and stuff, it’s going to really push on some people’s mental health and we’re here to help,” said Brewer.
The Butte facility is expected to have up to seven full-time employees once fully operational.
