Birch Tree Communities was founded in 1989 to address the needs of the mentally ill during a time of deinstitutionalization. The Arkansas Health Center (AHC) in Benton, which was formerly a unit of the Arkansas State Hospital, closed and left hundreds of adults diagnosed with serious mental illness with nowhere to go.
Through legislation, mentally ill patients that were not able to take care of their basic needs were allowed to live in the AHC nursing home, but other patients still needed assistance. There was an immediate need for community based mental health programs.
The founder of Birch Tree Communities, Tucker Steinmetz, a social advocate for the underserved in our community, was approached to start a non-profit organization to care for the mentally ill. Steinmetz began the organization with a donation of $4,000, a single transport van, and 36 members. The Arkansas Department of Human Services Division of Behavioral Health assisted in securing a grant to help Birch Tree Communities continue to provide services.
Tucker Steinmetz brought a new perspective to mental health care in Arkansas with a person-centered recovery model which allowed members to play an integral role in their care. Patients were viewed and referred to as “members” of the Birch Tree Communities family. A clear set of “intentions” were drafted to establish the environment of the organization and outline how staff should interact with members.
Following the inception of Birch Tree Communities, Health Resources of Arkansas received grants to purchase group homes, including Housing and Urban Development (HUD) properties. Birch Tree Communities leased some of those properties and later purchased the properties, which are still in use today.
Birch Tree Communities now provides services to approximately 400 adults living with serious mental illness at 12 branches across the state of Arkansas. A majority of members live in supervised group home settings and receive services in a therapeutic communities Level 2 program. A small group of members live in a secure, group setting in a Level 1 facility. Other members live in their own, independent home environment and receive day treatment services at their local program center.
