CHEBOYGAN: Citizens National Bank has committed to supporting the new Justin A. Borra Behavioral Health Center, scheduled to open in 2023 at McLaren Northern Michigan’s Cheboygan campus.
The bank has pledged to donate $30,000 to the project and is challenging community members to match or exceed their donation with donations.
Matthew Keene, president and CEO of Citizens National Bank, said he was intrigued when he learned of plans to establish a new behavioral health center in northern Michigan.
“Increasingly often, a friend, neighbor or co-worker has shared their challenges in finding care for a loved one struggling with mental illness. With few options in our area, they feel helpless, hopeless, defeated,” Keene said. “As a business leader, I am especially concerned about my employees and their families: I want services to be available nearby, so no one suffers unnecessarily.”
The Justin A. Borra Behavioral Health Center will include inpatient behavioral health units as well as programs and services that offer a wide range of therapies to meet the recovery needs of behavioral health patients.
“When I heard that a behavioral health center was being considered for the McLaren Cheboygan campus, I knew it was a win-win for our community and region. Not only will we have critical services close by, but it will also create jobs and its economic ripple effect on Cheboygan,” Keene said.
The Citizens National Bank Board of Directors was equally enthusiastic.
“We are excited to invest in the Justin A. Borra Center for Behavioral Health and encourage others to consider giving,” said Keene.
Renovation of existing facilities to create the 18-bed adult inpatient psychiatric unit and partial hospitalization program is underway. New construction to house an additional 12-bed inpatient unit and other services is planned for the near future and will begin when funds have been raised.
“McLaren Northern Michigan is committed to establishing comprehensive behavioral health services within our northern region,” said Dennis Hesselink, chairman of the McLaren Northern Michigan board. “Our vision is to work with community mental health partners to build a strong system of mental health programs that offer all levels of support and care, close to home.”
For more information about the project or to donate, visit www.mclaren.org/northernmichiganfoundation/giving.