Acadia Montana broke ground on a $3.8 million expansion on Tuesday that will serve 16 more residents age 5 to 18.
The residential treatment center treats children and adolescents for behavioral, emotional and psychiatric problems.
Acadia corporate headquarters in Franklin, Tenn., will foot the bill.
“We appreciate them (Acadia) stepping forward to expand our services for our young people,” Jim Bennett of Butte Local Development Corp. told the group of staff, administrators and advisory board members.
Twenty-five stakeholders showed up Tuesday to watch nine community leaders shovel dirt for a symbolic celebration. The real excavation starts next week on the northwest side of the existing Acadia building, 55 Basic Creek Road, south of Butte.
The expansion will add at least 16 beds to the existing facility to house a total 106 beds or patients.
It is the second 11,000-square foot expansion in four years. In 2011, Acadia also expanded its compound another 11,000-square feet.
Bennett said the facility will serve patients across Montana.
“It will have a multiplying effect beyond Acadia,” he said.
Ultimately, the expansion will provide work for contractors, service providers and skilled laborers, he added.
Alpa Construction, a division of Acadia Corporate Headquarters, will build the new building. Scott Miller, project manager from Chicago, told The Montana Standard the company “absolutely” plans to hire locally.
Miller and Alpa Construction president Chuck Morrow estimate they plan to hire 10 different local trade groups and about 125 on-site laborers at different times.
The project is slated to wrap up in September, said Acadia Montana CEO Kristine Carpenter, a 17-year veteran of Acadia.
“We’re definitely thanking Acadia Headquarters for the funds they put back in our community,” said Carpenter.