PRESQUE ISLE, Maine — St. John Valley Associates and Aroostook Mental Health Services, Inc. are pleased to announce that the two agencies will merge, which will take effect on July 1. SJVA will retain the same personnel and level of services in the community; AMHC will provide leadership and administrative services.
“The SJVA Board of Directors are focused on continuing the mission of SJVA as set forth by the founders, and in doing so recognized the business requirements to continue to meet the needs of our current and future clients,” explained Thomas Gerard, SJVA president. “Therefore, we sought a merger with a recognized leader in our geographic area that would provide the professional business and administrative background to allow SJVA not only to survive but to grow and prosper. We as an organization look forward to the future and the enhanced benefits that AMHC will provide to our staff, clients, and the community of the greater St. John Valley area.”
“We are very pleased to have SJVA join AMHC,” shared Ellen Bemis, CEO. “In our early discussions, it was clear that our organizational missions, which focus on community integration, align well. AMHC has been a provider of behavioral health services to SJVA clients for many years, and we’re looking forward to bringing our services together.”
Since 1978 St. John Valley Associates has provided a center-based facility offering services to adults with intellectual disabilities. During the past 45 years, the SJVA organization has successfully lived up to the founders’ desire to continue education beyond high school for adults with intellectual disabilities. For more information, visit https://stjohnvalleyassociates.org/.
Celebrating nearly 60 years, AMHC is a nonprofit organization supporting up to 5,000 individuals annually. The agency has 26 service sites and 350 employees across Aroostook, Washington, and Hancock counties providing mental health, substance use, crisis, and sexual assault services. For more information, please visit AMHC at www.amhc.org.
