The facility will provide 24/7 intensive care to Maine youth under 21 with acute behavioral health care needs. The center will have 16 beds and be staffed with psychiatrists, behavioral care and mental health providers and nursing staff.
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Saco-based mental health nonprofit Sweetser broke ground on a youth psychiatric residential treatment facility at its campus at 50 Moody St.
Maine lacks a secure inpatient psychiatric residential program for youth with severe mental health conditions, particularly those prone to dangerous behavior. Over 35 other states have such a facility, according to Sweetser.
An estimated 60 to 70 Maine youth receive treatment out of state, as far away as Oklahoma and Florida, away from natural supports like friends and family. Another 100 are on waiting lists to receive care. Children also wait in hospital emergency rooms for weeks or months due to the lack of available programs, Sweetser said.
The facility will provide 24/7 intensive care to Maine youth under 21 with acute behavioral health care needs. The center will have 16 beds and be staffed with psychiatrists, behavioral care and mental health providers and nursing staff.
Funding includes $5.4 million from the state. Sweetser launched a capital campaign called Build Hope to raise the remaining $2.5 million, and so far has received over $500,000 in donations.
The architect is SMRT and the general contractor is PC Construction.
"The true legacy of this project will be measured in crises averted, families reunited, and futures filled with promise,” Jayne Van Bramer, Sweetser’s president and CEO, said at the event.16 bedrooms
The project will involve renovating an existing 8,000-square-foot residential unit. Sweetser has a family apartment on campus, so families and youth can be reunited throughout treatment.
The anticipated stay is six to nine months.
There will be 16 bedrooms; therapeutic and group settings with specialized features like activity spaces, a dining room and family rooms; and recreational and outdoor areas, including a basketball court.
At-risk youth with serious emotional disturbances can often be a physical threat to themselves and those around them without the proper support, medication, environment and active treatment, Sweetser said.
Clinical and social work staff will provide services including individual, group and family therapies. The plan is to provide a higher level of care than a typical private non-medical institution, with higher staffing ratios and oversight by a child psychiatrist.
"We know that appropriate treatment of severe behavioral health disorders among children and young adults provides them with better opportunities to lead full and productive lives, yet too many families in Maine have struggled to find that care close to home," said Gov. Janet Mills.
Sweetser listed annual revenue of $50.2 million in its most recent nonprofit tax filing, according to the 2025 Mainebiz Giving Guide.