Rogers County Youth Services expands with new facility focused on mental health support

For nearly 50 years, Rogers County Youth Services has served as a lifeline for local children and families. Now, the agency is preparing for the next 50 years with plans for a brand-new facility designed to provide more space for counseling and more opportunities for healing.

The new 10,000-square-foot facility will allow the agency to expand its services and better accommodate the growing need for youth counseling and support in Rogers County.

“Each week, we see about 100 to 200 kids with their families,” said Herb McSpadden, Executive Director of Rogers County Youth Services. “It’s a lot of office space that we need."

The Importance of Outdoor Space

Along with expanded office and therapy spaces, the new facility will sit on nine acres of outdoor space, something McSpadden and his team believe is a vital piece of the mental health puzzle.

We're going to incorporate some trails, maybe some pickleball courts, so when kids and families come, it's not your typical mental health center. It is a place that they can come and have fun," McSpadden said. "Our therapists and staff can engage with the kids and families, and the community as a whole can benefit from it."

“Let’s get outside, let’s have fun outside,” said Noah Wickham, Therapist and Clinical Director. “That can be as effective as a diagnosis or a medication.”

Real Impact for Families

Stacey Blunt, a local parent, credits Rogers County Youth Services with helping her family through a difficult time.

“My oldest was just in a phase of some regulating issues, some anxiety,” she said. “Our oldest started coming, and it was special for him.”

 Blunt believes the new facility will be a game-changer for other families in the area.

“The idea of having an outside area and play area is fantastic,” she said. “As they get more publicity and more space, I’m hoping they can reach even more kids in our area.”

"I've seen a lot more demand over the course of the last seven years, "McSpadden said. "I think our referrals finally started to drop last year, but we were receiving about 400 referrals a year for counseling. The referrals have dropped some. But the connection with Covid, even though the Covid crisis, the health threat lessened. The mental health crisis continued. But I think we're finally starting to see a drop in that."

Looking Ahead

Construction on the new building is expected to be completed by December 2026. The agency says they've already received $2.5 million for construction, but McSpadden says they will need another $2.5 million to complete the facility.

"We've received generous support from federal and county ARPA funds, but we're still about $2 million short," McSpadden said. "We've applied for several grants, and we're hoping for some community support to be on track to complete by December 2026."

If you'd like to help, please visit Rogers County Youth Service's website for contact information.