BREAKING GROUND ON HOPE
Building Maine's first home for youth psychiatric residential treatment
F
or many Maine families of at-risk youth with complex
behavioral health needs, finding appropriate care has
meant facing an impossible choice: waiting months or
even years for services, remaining in a hospital emergency
department that cannot provide the specialized treatment
their child needs, or sending their child hundreds of miles
away from home, family, and community.
These challenges stem from a critical gap in Maine's
behavioral health system. Maine is one of only a handful
of states without a youth Psychiatric Residential
Treatment Facility (PRTF), a secure, intensive level
of care designed for young people whose needs exceed
what traditional residential programs can provide but
who do not require hospitalization. While most states
operate these programs, Maine families have long been
left without this essential treatment option.
"Sweetser is proud to lead the effort to bring our kids
home from expensive, out-of-state care and prevent
kids from languishing in emergency rooms," says Jayne
Van Bramer, Sweetser's President & CEO. "This will
be a total game-changer for Maine families and a win
for the entire behavioral health system in our state."
BUILD HOPE CAPITAL CAMPAIGN
Total project cost: $7.9 million
State investment secured: $5.4 million
Community fundraising goal:
$2.5 million
Raised to date: $500,000+
(as of June 2026 groundbreaking)
Learn more about our
Build Hope Campaign
G E T I N VO LV E D: Sweetser.org/BuildHope or giving@sweetser.org
Naming-rights partner:
Maine Community Bank
Groundbreaking:
June 25, 2026 — Saco campus
Target opening: 2027
Watch a recap of the press surrounding the groundbreaking
