WEBSTER GROVES, Mo.–Webster Groves City Council and Plan commission unanimously approved the 77-bed KVC Missouri Pediatric Mental Wellness Campus Tuesday night, January 21, 2025.

What You Need To Know

  • Webster Groves City Council and Plan commission unanimously approved the 77-bed KVC Missouri Pediatric Mental Wellness Campus Tuesday night, January 21, 2025

  • The passed proposal includes plans for a 77-bed one-story pediatric mental health facility that provides inpatient and residential care, with full continuum of outpatient health services

  • There will be no emergency room services; those with an emergency should still call 9-1-1 or seek their local hospital

  • Neighbors concerns included traffic worries, the facility differing from the “neighborhood character,” questions on taxes (if its exempt), and beliefs of procedural and transparency issues. Another sentiment among the opposition was a desire for the wellness campus to be in a more rural setting, not their backyard

While many neighbors posted signs in their yards opposing the proposal, documents presented at the council state only 25% of the public opposed the proposal.

Neighbors' concerns included traffic worries, the facility differing from the “neighborhood character,” questions on if it is tax exempt, and beliefs of procedural and transparency issues. Another sentiment among the opposition was a desire for the wellness campus to be in a more rural setting, not their backyard.

Those in favor pointed out the existence of an already existing KVC facility where the proposed hospital would go, not having issues with the existing facility, and a dislikement to the “not-in-my-neighborhood attitude.” 

The passed proposal includes plans for a 77-bed one-story pediatric mental health facility that provides inpatient and residential care, with full continuum of outpatient health services. Sixty-five of those beds would be inpatient beds for shorter stays hovering around a week. Twelve residential beds would be available for longer stays that may exceed two months. There will be no emergency room services.

The plan includes keeping the current K-12 school, community buildings, community-based services and cell tower.

KVC Missouri’s current campus at the location will see changes including eliminating two “antiquated” educational facility structures in favor of a single-story state-of-the-art inpatient facility that would follow regulatory and clinical safety standards.

Residential services will take a hit with the reduction of residential care beds, but this provides opportunity for KVC to create inpatient services. They’re also adding continuum of outpatient mental health services. 

KVC Health and BJC Healthcare released a joint statement on the passing of the proposal: “Thank you to the Webster Groves City Council and Plan Commission for their approval of our proposal to evolve the current KVC Missouri campus into a pediatric mental wellness campus. Their unanimous vote, along with community’s voice of support throughout this process, will enable us to provide care for kids who so desperately need it.

 St. Louis Children’s Hospital and KVC Missouri are committed to being great neighbors to Webster Groves. We will continue to encourage and engage in conversations and discussions with neighbors to share more about the project and how we can be the best partners to the community.”