Capstone Behavioral Healthcare officially moves into new facility

Now that staff and patients of Capstone Behavioral Healthcare have spent more than a month settling into their new facility, the Newton nonprofit organization has organized an open house for the community members and local providers to see what has changed.

The open house will last from 4 to 6 p.m. Monday at Capstone’s newest address, 1123 First Ave. E. The community mental health center’s previous home neighbored Skiff Medical Center.

Capstone has been offering mental health, chemical dependency counseling, residential and community-based care and other services in Jasper County since 1968

Capstone director Julie Smith said the open house will allow clients to tour the new facility if they have not done so already, as well as offer a chance for the center’s staff to feature and explain the organization’s services to the community.

“We’re going to have some light refreshments and a silent auction to help raise some money,” Smith said. “We want everybody to come and meet the staff. Sometimes the therapists are working all day and they don’t get out of their offices as much, so this is just a time to meet and greet everyone. We have some new faces that we’d like everyone to meet.”

After several years at the previous location, Smith said Capstone merely outgrew its space, adding more therapists and mid-level providers to its steadily growing staff listing.

“When I took over Capstone as the director six years ago, we had 32 employees and now we have more than 60,” Smith said. “We added a play therapist in June. We’ve really expanded and really increased our clientele.”

In 2012, Capstone served approximately 800 patients per year. Now that the organization is serving more than 4,000 patients each year, a new space feels all the more appropriate for Smith and her staff.

Jim Christianson, a substance abuse counselor, said Capstone’s new and pleasant atmosphere allows him to better take care of his clients.

“There’s so much more room to get around and there’s more privacy, which is important in this business,” Christianson said. “It’s an inviting place and we want everyone to feel comfortable as we try to help them.”

The previous Capstone facility was 3,500 square feet. The new building has more than 10,000 square feet of space and has plenty of windows to let in natural light. That particular asset has not gone unnoticed by Capstone’s patients, Smith said.

“We’ve had lots of good feedback about how it’s brighter, much more open and easier to get around.”

Capstone is now stationed in the building vacated by Newton Manufacturing Co. Smith said Capstone leases the facility from Newton Elite Properties, LLC, which provided remodeling and landscaping services for the building. Smith is excited “to see life back in this building” that was an icon in town.

“Everyone knows where this building is,” Smith said.

Morale within the staff has improved since the move. Smith said the bigger offices and a more professional setting have attributed to that sentiment. Now that everyone is comfortable in the new spot, Capstone is setting its sights toward the foreseeable future.

“We’re just excited for people to see where we’re at and to see how far Capstone has come in the last five years,” Smith said. “We want everyone to come and see that we’re really proud of where we’ve been and where we’re headed.”

Capstone is open 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tuesday through Thursday and 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. Friday.

Contact Christopher Braunschweig at 641-792-3121 ext. 6532 or cbraunschweig@newtondailynews.com