POPLAR BLUFF, Mo. (WSIL) -- Southeast Missouri Behavioral Health (SEMOBH) has begun construction on a new clinic in Poplar Bluff. The facility, located on Sterling Drive, will be 10,378 square feet and cost $3.4 million.
The project is funded with a 60/40 capital improvement match from the Missouri Behavioral Health Counsel and the Missouri Department of Mental Health. McGrath & Associates, Inc., a St. Louis-based firm, is the primary contractor.
“Mental illness or substance abuse doesn’t discriminate; they can affect anyone regardless of gender, age, race or socioeconomic status,� SEMOBH President Cathy Schroer said. “Despite the increased number of people experiencing mental illness, there is still a great deal of stigma involved in acknowledging mental illness and seeking treatment. This stigma can be further exacerbated by the environments where people seek treatment.�
Hood Rich Architecture, based in Springfield, Missouri, designed the building to meet the community's mental health needs.
“There is a tremendous value we place on the buildings we design for Brightli,� Hood Rich Principal Billy Kimmons said. “We are not simply designing another building. We design spaces that promote hope and healing. We believe we serve a vital role in the healing process, and that through the decisions we make in a building’s design, we are helping people get to tomorrow.�
Crystal Parra, a certified alcohol and drug counselor with the Missouri Credentialing Board, shared her journey from client to supervisor at SEMOBH.
“I was happy somebody was willing to give me a chance to start a career,� Parra said. “I can communicate with clients and relate to them on a level that helps them to engage in services.�
SEMOBH is part of Brightli, Inc. and serves eight counties, employing more than 200 people.
“We are very proud of the commitment that our employees show on a daily basis,� Schroer said. “Their dedication and compassion to serve others is the foundation of our agency, and without them we would not be able to serve our communities.�
The clinic will offer a wide range of services including psychiatric evaluation, medication management, trauma therapy and more. For more information, you can find it .
