A psychiatric residential treatment facility for children and teens is coming to West Kentucky. The Purchase Youth Village specializes in treating children with autism but will provide a wide-range of care for all mental illnesses at the new Benton-based location.
At a ribbon cutting ceremony Friday, Dr. Wasim Sajid said the facility is the first of it’s kind in the state, and hopes it will be able to provide local services to families that typically have to travel out of state for care. Dr. MaqboolAhmed said Purchase Youth Village will "put people first" and was built with displaced patients in mind. He said because hospitals often can't offer long-term and in-depth care that mentally ill children need, they will often send them to a facility that was previously only offered out of state. He said the 18,000 square foot facility is designed to make patients feel comfortable during treatment.
“They should look like they are in a home," Ahmed said. "That’s why we have the common room areas, the TV areas, rooms that are close to the nursing station, not just isolated in a hallway. ”
Ahmed said among the treatments available at the facility, their wide range of psychotherapies will be one of the most impactful. He said medication isn’t always effective if it’s not coupled with therapy. Benton mayor Rita Dotson said she hopes the new facility will help end the stigma around mental illness. Currently the facility offers 28 beds, but has recently been approved to start building 20 more. Purchase Youth Village will start accepting patients July 5th.