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71 B U S I N E S S P RO F I L E S B U S I N E S S P R O F I L E S S P E C I A L A D V E R T I S I N G S E C T I O N "ese centers represent a gateway into accessing the entire behavioral health system," says Jayne Van Bramer, Sweetser's President & CEO. "ink of these centers as a one-stop shop for all things mental health and recovery with all the accessibility of a physical health walk-in care clinic. You don't have to know all the different programs or acronyms. If you need help, we will be there for you every step of the way." ese centers were made possible in part by a Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) grant and support from the Maine Department of Health & Human Services. ese walk-in care centers enable Sweetser to serve hundreds more Mainers throughout York, Cumberland, and Androscoggin counities with high-quality, integrated, and evidence-based men- tal health treatment. With Sweetser serving as demonstration sites for the state, Sweetser is leading the way in expanding these centers to more corners of our state. Creating Maine's 1st Psychiatric Residential Treatment Facility After years of legislative advocacy, Sweetser secured $2 million from the state to transform its existing 8,000-square-foot building in Saco into a 16-bed locked therapeutic residential facility. is project aims to address a critical gap in Maine's youth behavioral health care system, as Maine is currently one of the few states without a Psychiatric Residential Treatment Facility (PRTF). e PRTF will provide intensive 24-hour psychiatric care in a structured, trauma-informed environment. It will offer a secure, clinical setting with daily active treatment, medical supervision, prescribers, clinicians, and therapy, ensuring the safety of both youth and staff. is setting is less restrictive than a hospital but provides a higher level of care than typical residential placements. Currently, Maine children with serious emotional disorders are often sent to expensive out-of-state facilities, separating them from their families and support systems. Many also languish in emergency rooms, which are not equipped for long-term behav- ioral health treatment. "Sweetser is leading this effort, aiming to bring Maine children home from expensive out-of-state care, marking a significant win for families, children with serious emotional disorders, and the state of Maine," says Kristie Worster, Sweetser's Chief Program Officer. "Establishing this facility will keep these vulnerable youth closer to home and provide them with the specialized care they need." e program will serve children and at-risk youth with serious emotional disorders and the highest level of need. It's designed for short-term treatment, with an estimated length of stay of less than a year. e goal is to transition these youth to less restric- tive residential placements or back home for community-based treatment. Construction will occur throughout the rest of this year, with staffing planned for spring 2026. e goal is to open the facility and begin taking clients in 2026. We are looking for additional individual and corporate sup- port to complete this project and match the state construction dollars. If you would like to be part of this incredible effort, email Sweetser's advancement team at giving@sweetser.org. l P H O T O C O U R T E S Y O F S W E E T S E R P H O T O C O U R T E S Y O F S W E E T S E R P H O T O C O U R T E S Y O F S W E E T S E R Above: Ribbon cutting at Sweetser's Hope & Healing Center in Sanford Left: Sweetser's Lewiston Hope and Healing Center opening Above: The building on Sweetser's Saco campus that will be converted to a PRTF in 2026