Growth drives facility improvements
Thanks to an increase in referrals and proactive efforts to bid on more outpatient service contracts, the demand for outpatient
services at KPEP has grown across the board in the past few years.
The impact of this growth has been particularly evident at our Calhoun County facility in Battle Creek where we serve nearly 150 outpatients at any given time. These people are referred to us for substance abuse treatment, sex offender treatment, counseling for domestic violence or for anger management, as well as for drug testing.
While we had made minor renovations over the past couple of years, we reached a point in Calhoun County where we could no longer efficiently operate the programs at current capacity.
Renovation designs were complete late last year and work began in December.
“The facility was not well designed for a mix of residential and outpatient services,” said William DeBoer, President/CEO. “There was no good space for counseling or drug testing. So we redesigned and now have more efficient work flow, better classroom space and improved technology for use in our employability skills classes.”
Renovations were complete in February. The biggest changes were made in the entrance office and security area, creating a separation between the residential facility and the outpatient programming. Upgrades were also made to classrooms, phone and internet services. The renovations make far better use of existing space and improve program delivery.
A building with a history
The Calhoun County facility has an interesting history. The building was built along the banks of the Battle Creek River in 1934 and started out as the General George A. Custer American Legion Post #54. Between 1940 and 1970, it remained in use primarily as an American Legion Club.
By 1970, the Legion Supper Club, the Battle Creek Gun Club, the Battle Creek Personnel Managers Club, the Battle Creek Traffic Club and the Forty & Eight Club were all listed as having an address at that location.
From 1980-1985, the building was home to Rosario’s Supper Club.
The facility was vacant from 1980 through 1985, when it was re-opened as the Battle Creek Corrections Center. The Michigan Department of Correction Parole Office was also located there.
In 1998 the corrections center closed and KPEP moved into the residential area. The MDOC Parole Office remained at that location until 2005, and we purchased the building in 2007.