New behavioral institute set to open this fall

The Stacie Mathewson Behavioral Health and Addiction Institute will focus on identifying the causes of mental illnesses and addiction at early ages. Thanks to a $6 million donation by Charles and Stacie Mathewson, parents and the medical community will have more resources to help battle addiction and mental health issues.

"We don't have enough specialty providers that know how to treat children and adolescents in the community. It's a severe lack; we need more people to specialize in that population and those kids and being able to reach them early," said Kristen Davis-Coelho, psychologist at Renown Regional Medical Center.

Stacie Mathewson lost her son 5 years ago to drug addiction and hopes a bigger investment in early screening and research will help expand necessary mental health services in Northern Nevada. "This almost feels surreal, because the fact that this is actually going to be available, an actual institution where people can walk in by the end of the year and have screening and access to care, that is going to save lives," she said.

The Institute will also track babies who are born addicted and help provide individual case management to meet the medical needs of the babies, as well as parents working toward long-term recovery or support for foster and adoptive parents.