Behavioral health services to expand, thanks to major grant

Great Lakes Recovery Centers, Inc. (GLRC) has received a $2.9 million in funding from the USDA Rural Development program.

Today, the agency closed a deal with Bell Hospital in Ishpeming to acquire both the
Tobin Medical Building and the former Woodland Senior Living Community.

According to a press release from GLRC, this development will assist the agency in providing strategic improvements in facilities and operations and will have a positive impact on client care and the provision of behavioral health services offered in 11 communities in the UP.

“This expansion was years in the making and is part of GLRC’s effort to respond to the increased need for treatment and services for substance abuse and mental health disorders in the UP,” said Greg Toutant, GLRC Executive Director.  GLRC will relocate its
Administrative office to Tobin building.

Toutant added, “Our Outpatient Services office in Ishpeming has been working within the
building for several years, and it was a logical step for our billing, information technology, foundation, and the rest of our administrative structure to co-locate with the clinical staff that is already operating out of the site.”

The most significant change will be that Youth Residential Services as they will move from the campus at 241 Wright Street in Marquette to the former Woodland Senior Living Community, near Bell Hospital’s current Teal Lake Medical Facility in Negaunee.

“On behalf of our clients, staff, and Board of Directors, we are very excited about this
opportunity and very fortunate to have been able to work with Bell Hospital as well as the USDA Rural Development office for making this move possible.”

This move, the press release continued, will allow them to provide a more personalized and updated facility complete with renovated living quarters, educational space, group rooms, and therapeutic offerings unique to the field of adolescent care.

“It is our hope that the community will support our efforts to create a place where our young clients will learn the tools that will give them the best possible chance of making lasting improvements in their lives,” remarked Toutant.

The loan funds will assist in improvements that will be spread  out throughout their residential operations in both Sault Ste. Marie and Marquette.