Franciscan Children’s gifted $5 million for new mental health center

BRIGHTON, Mass. — The Yawkey Foundation is gifting $5 million to Franciscan Children’s new mental health center. This will allow the expansion of capacity, care, and treatment for young individuals facing mental health issues.

“Right now, there is there is a widely recognized shortage of inpatient pediatric beds for children in psychiatric crisis, and that shortage has been further exacerbated by the increased mental health issues that are emerging as a result of the COVID pandemic,” said John D. Nash, CEO of Franciscan Children’s. “Our current inpatient and outpatient mental health facilities were constructed over 60 years ago and are outdated and inadequate for the needs of the diverse population of children and adolescents we serve. We are so grateful to the Yawkey Foundation for this generous donation that will help us to help children in need.”

The gift will also enable Franciscan Children’s to help serve hundreds of additional patients annually compared to previous years. The new building will be named The Yawkey Center at Franciscan Children’s, in honor of the Foundation’s founders, Tom Yawkey and Jean Yawkey.

“Throughout their lives, and then through their charitable foundations, Tom and Jean Yawkey provided significant support to numerous hospitals for over 80 years, as well as the steadfast and generous support of programs in Boston, Massachusetts and Georgetown, SC that addresses the needs of children with emotional and behavioral health issues,” said Maureen H. Bleday, CEO of the Yawkey Foundation. “Franciscan Children’s is a place of hope and healing for children in psychiatric crisis, and this project is consistent with the charitable goals that guided the Yawkeys during their lifetimes and which the Trustees of the Foundation continue to honor in their memory.”

The building will be 45,000 square feet and located on the site of the former convent for the Franciscan Missionaries of Mary near the hospital’s campus in Brighton. The center will include private and shared rooms, a gymnasium, and classrooms with updated technology and programmatic support spaces.

The construction process is expected to begin in June of 2022 and end by the end of 2023.

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