St margarets announcement - Arukah Institute of Healing

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At Arukah Institute of Healing, our mission is to provide patient-centered therapeutic, crisis and wellness services spanning the continuum of prevention, treatment, and recovery in rural communities. We focus on specialized care for the most vulnerable persons in our community.

You might be wondering how the closure of SMH Health locations may impact Arukah and the services we provide to members of our community. The short answer is it won’t. For more details, we prepared the following Q&A so that you can be confident that the information is accurate and timely.

If you don’t find the answer to a question you have, please email [email protected].

FAQ

What is the relationship between Arukah and SMH?

In 2021 Arukah began partnering with SMH to offer a range of Behavioral Health Services. The two organizations operate independently from each other and therefore, while SMH will no longer participate in this partnership, Arukah has complete flexibility to proceed with operations in our Princeton location. Arukah Services and Programs will continue operating as they have.

Is Arukah closing?

No! Arukah is actively planning for growth. Our services and staff of 42 are projected to expand in 2023 and we are currently hiring new staff to ensure we can meet the needs of our communities. Additional sites are under development, including in LaSalle County for 2023 and we remain committed to serving Bureau, Putnam, LaSalle, Marshall, and Grundy Counties.

How is Arukah funded?

Arukah is funded through a combination of federal grants, state grants, insurance reimbursement, partnership arrangements, as well as public and private donations. The project between St. Margaret’s and Arukah revolved around the SAMHSA-funded Certified Community Behavioral Health Clinics (CCBHC). Arukah is one of the forerunning CCBHCs in the state of Illinois. CCBHCs ensure access to comprehensive behavioral health care for anyone who requests care for mental health or substance use, regardless of their ability to pay, place of residence, or age. CCBHCs must meet standards of care to get people into care quickly, including 24/7/365 crisis care. This model has bipartisan support from Congress and will eventually be administered through the State of Illinois as a prospective payment, value-based model of Medicaid payment. All CCBHC services will continue after the closure of St. Margaret’s.

How many patients and program participants are served by Arukah?

Arukah’s CCBHC served 10,514 adults and 3,750 children in its most recent grant year (2/15/22 – 2/14/23). The number of community members served by Arukah is projected to increase in the future.

Will Arukah employ any of the staff members who provided care in connection with SMH?

Yes! To preserve the comprehensive care model provided through the partnership with St. Margaret’s and to continue our commitment to the highest-quality behavioral healthcare in our region, Arukah has brought on multiple providers from the St. Margaret’s team to be employed under Arukah. Watch our Facebook and Instagram! We will be releasing the information in the coming days.