The Cabinet for Health and Family Services has announced a new inpatient mental health treatment program in Owensboro, Kentucky called The BIRCH for eligible boys in the care of the Department for Community Based Services or Juvenile Justice system. The program, operated by RiverValley Behavioral Health, will admit male youth aged 12-17 with complex mental and behavioral health needs. The program aims to provide a higher level of care for youth with challenging behaviors related to mental health conditions.
Admission decisions are made by multiple agencies including the Department for Behavioral Health, Developmental and Intellectual Disabilities, the Department for Juvenile Justice Mental Health Treatment Director, the Department for Medicaid Services, and RiverValley Behavioral Health. The funding for The BIRCH comes from a DCBS contract with the Department for Medicaid Services.
The opening of The BIRCH follows criticism from Sen. Danny Carroll for failing to fund a special mental health facility for youth in the juvenile justice system during the 2024 legislative session. Carroll filed Senate Bill 242, which would have directed $22 million towards creating a mental health juvenile detention facility and providing treatment for minors with serious mental health issues within DJJ. The bill passed the Senate but did not pass the House.
In response to The BIRCH opening, Carroll stated that any increase in beds to serve troubled youth is a positive step. He hopes that the legislature will finalize a mental health proposal for troubled youth in the future. This program is a significant advancement in providing care and support for vulnerable youth in Kentucky.
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