Petition Against Consolidating All Missouri Sexual Offender Treatment Operations in Farmington

To: Governor Mike Kehoe, Missouri Department of Mental Health, Missouri General Assembly

We, the undersigned, respectfully and emphatically request that state leaders reconsider any plan to repurpose the Southeast Missouri Mental Health Center in Farmington, Missouri, for the purpose of consolidating all Sexual Offender Rehabilitation and Treatment Services (SORTS) operations solely in Farmington.

OUR CONCERNS

1. Proximity to schools, day care and residential property

The current mental health center site is located 600 feet from Farmington High School, 177 feet from a licensed childcare facility, and is bordered by residential subdivisions on two sides, with only 50 feet separation. Consolidating SORTS operations at this location would place a high-security forensic population in close proximity to schools, childcare providers, and family neighborhoods, raising serious concerns regarding public safety, law enforcement impact, neighborhood stability, and community confidence.

2. Community Growth, Image, and Tourism

The proposed site is located near the entrance to one of Farmington’s historic district and downtown shopping area, serving as a gateway for residents, businesses, and visitors. A maximum-security facility with razor wire and high-security fencing would create an uninviting first impression at a major intersection with Highway 67, undermining community revitalization, tourism, and economic development efforts. Our city’s entrance should reflect growth, opportunity, and hospitality—not reinforce stigma.

It is important to recognize that the State Mental Health Hospital does not require the same level of security infrastructure as a SORTS facility. As a result, its physical presence, use of local law enforcement and healthcare resources have historically had far less impact on the community. The scale, security needs, and operational demands of a consolidated SORTS facility would represent a fundamentally different and far more disruptive footprint for Farmington.

4. Public Safety and Security

Concentrating all high-risk sexual offender residents in one location creates a single point of vulnerability and significantly increases risk to the surrounding community. While we agree with the importance of strong security measures, consolidating SORTS operations would place an added and ongoing burden on local law enforcement agencies. Increased calls for service, transport needs, and emergency responses would further strain an already limited police force, diverting resources away from routine community safety needs. Maintaining regional distribution of facilities helps balance security demands and protects public safety statewide.

5. Community Resources and Healthcare Impact

Farmington’s healthcare system is designed to serve the medical needs of local residents—not to absorb a disproportionate share of emergency and inpatient care related to a statewide forensic population. Consolidation of SORTS operations would inevitably increase emergency department utilization, placing additional strain on limited ED capacity and inpatient beds. This increased demand could compromise timely and appropriate care for area citizens, particularly during high-volume or critical periods. Our community should not bear additional healthcare burdens that directly impact access and quality of care for local residents.

6. Treatment Success and Continuity of Care

Meaningful rehabilitation and successful reintegration are best achieved when individuals can transition back to their home communities upon completion of treatment. We strongly encourage the state to coordinate with offenders’ home community Certified Community Behavioral Health Organizations (CCBHOs) to ensure continuity of care, accountability, and long-term treatment success. CCBHOs are regionally contracted by the state and are better positioned to provide ongoing services, monitoring, and support closer to family and community resources.

7. Community Mental Health Capacity

Farmington and the surrounding region already face limited access to mental health services for residents. Expanding SORTS operations would further strain an insufficient local mental health system, reducing availability of care for citizens who rely on these services. The concern is not workforce staffing challenges within the facility itself, but the broader impact on community-based mental health access. Our citizens should not lose critical care capacity as a result of decisions that concentrate statewide services in one location.

8. Regional Balance and Responsible Use of State Resources

Missouri has invested substantial taxpayer dollars in maintaining geographically balanced behavioral health infrastructure. Eliminating regional distribution of SORTS services undermines that investment and shifts an inequitable burden onto one community. Regional balance is essential for safety, fairness, and responsible stewardship of public funds.

OUR REQUEST

We respectfully call on Governor Kehoe and the Missouri Department of Mental Health to:

• Maintain SORTS operations at both Farmington and Fulton to preserve regional balance, safety, and fairness
• Reassess the SORTS model with a focus on rehabilitation, constitutional compliance, and measurable treatment outcomes
• Engage local communities, staff, and advocacy groups before making any consolidation or closure decisions

CONCLUSION

Consolidating all SORTS operations in Farmington would negatively impact public safety, healthcare access, community resources, and economic vitality—while offering no clear benefit to treatment success or statewide balance. We urge state leaders to protect local communities, ensure responsible use of resources, and reject any plan that would make Farmington the sole hub for Missouri’s SORTS operations.

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