Individuals experiencing significant substance abuse and other mental health issues now have access to more inpatient or outpatient services at the Phoenix Health clinic, which Burrell Behavioral Health began operating two years ago. 

Burrell added the Phoenix clinic in 2023 and the organization further expanded its footprint by purchasing the former Rainbow House facility on Towne Drive and renovating its primary Columbia location off Berrywood Drive. Burrell sought to complete the expansions and renovations in response to a community mental health needs survey that showed gaps in local mental health services. 

“Our core charge has been and always will be about a social services safety net for individuals who are underserved or underinsured,” said Mat Gass, president of Brightli’s Central North Region. “As an organization, we’re constantly looking for gaps and opportunities for services that we can provide.” 

Brightli is Burrell’s parent company. 

Burrell’s Phoenix Clinic at 90 E. Leslie Lane, just north of the Providence/I-70 interchange, is a substance abuse clinic offering screenings, assessments, and outpatient therapy as well as medication and residential inpatient services. Burrell’s renovations include a waiting room expansion, adding a heat treatment room, upgrading the kitchen, and expanding the number of residential rooms from sixteen to twenty-five beds.  

The outside makeover included new privacy fences, lighting, and a camera system for security. Patient artwork now adorns the interior clinic walls as a therapeutic touch for individuals receiving treatment. Inpatient services may be provided for a period of one to nine weeks. 

“Maybe they just had a slip-up, they’re working, have a family, and just needed a reset,” said Bobby Reichert, director of recovery at the Phoenix Clinic, giving a general example of why an individual might seek treatment. “We’ve had people who are here eight, nine weeks as they’re struggling with more significant substance use and mental health issues.” 

The clinic’s residential beds are almost always full. The clinic receives calls about residential treatment each day. Callers are screened and assessed to determine their need for treatment or other services.  

“We’re currently at twenty-four beds and expecting one today,” Reichert told COMO Business Times. “Every day we have people who don’t show up for appointments or people who leave unexpectedly. But then we have a list of people who want to come in, so we’re constantly moving to be at capacity at all times.” 

Even though some individuals may qualify for residential treatment, the clinic might not have bed space available, he added. But that does not prohibit those individuals from participating in outpatient groups. 

”We may have a limited capacity on beds at the moment, but not service,” Reichert said.  

Burrell recently purchased the former Rainbow House facility at 1611 Towne Drive. Burrell plans to turn the facility into an intensive residential treatment for clients who interact well with their peers but have difficulty with daily living. The sixteen beds there will accommodate patients for a period of six months to two years. 

“I think the 1611 Towne Drive building is an important piece of the behavioral health safety net,” Gass said. “There are a number of individuals who really need additional supports related to their mental health, who need twenty-four-hour oversight to prevent hospitalization and making sure that their mental health doesn’t deteriorate.” 

The first clients at 1611 Towne Drive are expected to begin their treatment in late spring. 

Burrell is part of Brightli, an organization that employs more than 5,000 people. Burrell Behavioral Health serves eighteen Missouri counties and provides behavioral health, substance-use treatment, case management, developmental disability, and employment services.  

“This will continue to build out to additional residential services,” Gass explained. “We see this service as filling the gap for needed twenty-four-hour support.”  

The clinic at 3401 Berrywood Drive has also undergone expansion. In addition to serving as the primary administrative office for Burrell’s Central Region, the Berrywood facility also houses a walk-in clinic and an outpatient clinic for psychological and psychiatric services. It is also the location of a child and adolescent clinic, and Berrywood is also home to the Burrell Pharmacy.  

Through the parent company Brightli, Burrell has expanded services to youth, growing outpatient therapy services through the Clarity brand, and bringing dental and primary care to students at Columbia Public Schools. The 988 suicide and crisis line is also a large part of Burrell’s community outreach.