Home / Health / RI Buys Youth Psychiatric Facility for $760K
RI Buys Youth Psychiatric Facility for $760K
17 Dec
Summary
- DCYF purchases former St. Mary's for $760,848.
- Facility will be a 16-bed psychiatric unit for girls.
- State anticipates $15-20M in renovations and $1-5M for environmental cleanup.
The Department of Children, Youth, and Families (DCYF) in Rhode Island has received approval to acquire the former St. Mary's Home for Children in North Providence for $760,848. This acquisition aims to establish a much-needed 16-bed psychiatric residential treatment facility for teenage girls, a service absent in the state since August 2024.
The campus requires significant investment beyond the purchase price, with estimated renovation costs between $15 million and $20 million, plus $1 million to $5 million for environmental remediation of identified soil contamination. DCYF plans to continue the facility's mission of providing PRTF-level care.
This move is crucial for keeping vulnerable youth within the state, avoiding out-of-state placements. The purchase agreement also stipulates that any future sale proceeds must be reinvested in similar youth residential treatment facilities within Rhode Island.
