Four Oaks opens new site in Marion

MARION — A new Four Oaks residential site in Marion will help teenage boys struggling with mental health and behavioral health issues.

The facility, at 4000 Highway 151, has been remodeled to include 27 bedrooms, a kitchen, a gymnasium and classrooms. The teenagers staying in the Four Oaks Residential Treatment and Shelter units at the State Mental Health Institute in Independence moved into the facility last week.

'After being over there for 15 to 20 years, it had unique supervision challenges,' said Ron Karkosh, program officer for Four Oaks. 'This setting has a more homey feel, (and) the boys have said they feel like they're at college.'

Four Oaks has partnered with Linn-Mar High School, the Department of Human Services, Juvenile Court Services, Area Substance Abuse Council and others to provide care.

The agency also plans to partner with the community and, Karkosh said, to do things such as service projects throughout the year.

Karkosh said the boys — ages 13 to 18 — typically stay six to 14 months. During their stay, they participate in group therapies, prevention services, individual therapy — through the help of telemedicine — and go to classes taught by two Linn-Mar High School teachers, he said.

There are about 15 teens at the facility, Karkosh said, and the agency probably will fill the rest of the units early next year. It needs to bring in additional staff and probably will have 25 to 30 employees.

To leave the facility, officials said the boys are evaluated on two things:

l Academics — Are they ready to transfer to high school?

l Safety risk — Can they handle the stress?

Those decisions are made by Four Oaks staff and the families.

Four Oaks announced it would be leaving the Independence Mental Health Institute in January. The agency bought the building from UnityPoint Health-St. Luke's Hospital and remodeled it to meet state guidelines for standards of care, said Liz Mathis, Four Oaks chief community officer.