Webster Groves residents fight proposed youth mental health hospital

ST. LOUIS (KMOX) - Earlier this past summer, St. Louis Children's Hospital and KVC Missouri announced plans for a pediatric mental health campus in Webster Groves.

The campus, which would be built over the next two years, would create a 70-bed hospital and inpatient center to care for children with mental health disorders. KVC Missouri and St. Louis Children's Hospital want to build it on the site of a current day school run by KVC.

This week, the two health care organizations behind the proposed mental health hospital and residential treatment center took out a full-page ad in a local paper, with a letter trying to assure the Webster Groves community that administrators are considering community feedback and will provide a safe environment.

However, plans to revamp a pediatric mental health campus in Webster Groves have gotten push-back from nearby residents.

"I think the most important thing to understand is what the conversation is really about," said Michael Garcia, spokesman for the group opposed to project on Total Information A.M. Thursday. "KVC is trying to frame this issue as a choice between supporting and opposing mental health services but that is simply not the case."

"We are simply against building a large residential hospital in the middle of a large residential neighborhood."

St. Louis Children's Hospital and KVC Missouri say St. Louis needs a residential hospital like this and neighbors like Garcia agree, but just not in their backyard.

"I think everyone can relate to waking up one day and find that a hospital has replaced a school or school in their community. The disruptions and the risks are just too significant," said Garcia.

Garcia tells KMOX that between 2015-2021, there were multiple incidents documented at the current facility operated by KVC.

"There were over 1,300 calls from police to emergency services and in the short time since KVC took over, call records show that there already have been over 60 calls to emergency services, including instances where students have eloped from the facility, engaged in standoffs on neighbors properties and the unbelievably heartbreaking death of a staff member" said Garcia.

OSHA has said the death of a nurse in March was the result of an "accidental collision" with a patient.

KVC says safety and security are top priorities. But Garcia and other residents say the hospital belongs away from a dense residential area where patients and their families can have better access to needed services.

Gracia says he and other residents a part of the group he has led has collected hundreds of signatures opposing the project.

The site would have to be rezoned so it will ultimately be up to the Webster Groves City Council.

KMOX did reach out representatives of KVC to join us on Total Information A.M.