(Le Mars) — A joint venture between Plains Area Mental Health and Life Skills Training Center officially opened Wednesday with the ribbon-cutting ceremony acknowledging “The Meeting Place.” The renovated facility was the former “Family Pharmacy” located next to the Fareway grocery store. Shelly Thomson with Life Skills says the downtown building will serve as the adult
care center for mentally challenged individuals. She says Life Skills is leasing a portion of the facility from Plains Area Mental Health.
Thomson says it was a federal government directive to have the adult care center separated from the work training facility.
Thomson says the Life Skills clients at “The Meeting Place” are ready to perform community service tasks.
Plains Area Mental Health owns the building and Kim Keleher the CEO for Plains Area Mental Health says the facility will serve as a “comfort zone” for the clients.
The Plains Area Mental Health official says the Weidler building located at the former Westmar College campus will continue to serve as the headquarters and mental health clinic.
