After years of financial shortfalls, Mind Springs Health’s Board of Directors has decided to close West Springs Hospital in Grand Junction on March 10, 2025, citing a need for “more sustainable care models.”
West Springs Hospital’s original building opened in 2005 with 32 beds, but Mind Springs built a new facility in 2018 with an expanded 48-bed capacity, offering inpatient and outpatient mental health care services.
Mind Springs will continue to offer outpatient services on the same campus after closing the hospital, including withdrawal management, case management, and therapy. It will also continue to operate its residential program in Clifton, CO.
In a press release Monday, the board noted that Medicaid’s uncertain future and a “cloudy health care landscape,” contributed to the decision to close the facility. They were also unable to fill many of the beds, citing an average daily census of 30 patients or less.
That’s in addition to its ongoing financial challenges. Former Mind Springs President and CEO John M. Sheehan told the Colorado Sun last year that West Springs Hospital was spending $500,000 more each month than it was bringing in, and Mind Springs was using profits from other parts of the organization to cover the deficit.
With many underinsured patients and a state investigation in 2021, West Springs Hospital began warning the public of a potential closure last year.
Mind Springs is considering launching several other programs in place of West Springs Hospital.
“We are evaluating the possibility (of) standing up an acute treatment unit (ATU), or even a crisis stabilization unit (CSU),” Carlos Cornejo said, Mind Springs’ board chair.
These types of facilities offer short-term care as an alternative to inpatient hospitalization, and patients can stay up to seven or 14 days.
Parting ways with Larkin Health
Mind Springs entered into a management agreement in November with Larkin Health Systems, a mental health care provider based out of South Florida. But with West Springs Hospital shutting its doors, the two organizations agreed not to renew the partnership.
Carol Skubic, Mind Springs’ board treasurer, thanked Larkin Health for its support, and said they are “exploring other partnership opportunities.”
In February, Larkin Health was considering a contract with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement to fill the empty beds at West Springs Hospital with immigrant detainees.
Nicholas Torres, CEO at Larkin Community Hospital’s South Miami Campus, has been in charge of Mind Springs’ management since November. He said the potential deal could have brought in $100,000-$300,000 per month, but Mind Springs’ Board of Directors walked back the proposal after hearing significant concerns from community members.
When asked who reached out to Mind Springs with concerns, Torres said “everybody.”
Mind Springs maintained that they offer mental health care services to anyone in need, and they have no role in detention operations, but immigrant advocates in the Roaring Fork Valley were concerned that contracts with ICE could expand its detention capacity.
Mind Springs’ board and staff said they are “working closely with state and local officials and health care providers to minimize the impact of this closure and help the community understand what other resources are available in emergencies.”
Monday’s press release noted that most employees at West Springs Hospital will be impacted by the closure. A few may find jobs in other departments at Mind Springs.
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