A longtime Jefferson County health care provider recently opened Family Psychiatric and Addiction Care Clinic in Hillsboro with a goal of providing area residents timely access to mental health care.
The Greater Hillsboro Chamber of Commerce held a ribbon cutting Nov. 19 at the locally owned clinic, 424 Main St.
Danielle Kennedy, clinic owner and a board-certified nurse practitioner, said the clinic provides services such as psychiatric evaluations, medication management, ADHD testing and addiction treatment for those 6 years old and older.
“We want every person who walks through our doors to feel supported, understood and valued. Mental health care should be compassionate, accessible and personalized. Hillsboro is home, and it is an honor to serve this community,” she said.
Kennedy said her interest in the healthcare field began at an early age while her family cared for an aunt who was ill.
“That experience taught me compassion, responsibility and the importance of showing up for others during vulnerable moments,” she said.
Kennedy began her career over a decade ago in Jefferson County at Mercy Jefferson Hospital in Crystal City as a psychiatric technician in the behavioral health unit.
She holds a master’s degree of science in nursing from St. Louis University with a focus in nursing education.
As a nurse, Kennedy said she has noticed the differences in the approach between physical and mental health crises.
“Patients with symptoms such as chest pain appropriately receive rapid, coordinated care. Patients experiencing overwhelming depression or suicidal thoughts often encounter a different process, not because staff do not care, but because mental health systems historically were not structured with the same immediate-response framework,” she said. “When someone reaches out in emotional pain, they deserve support quickly. For that reason, my clinic strives to offer timely access to care, and same-day appointments.”
Kennedy said the name of the clinic was influenced by her experiences with addiction within her family.
“My goal is for this clinic to be a place where individuals with mental health conditions and those struggling with addiction feel heard, supported and understood. I want to help preserve lives, offer hope and prevent other families from experiencing the losses that mine has endured. I want people to know that recovery is possible and that they do not have to face their challenges alone,” she said.
Kennedy and her husband, Shawn, live in Hillsboro with their son.
For information or to schedule an appointment at Family Psychiatric and Addiction Care, call 314-628-0124, email info@familypsychclinic.com or visit familypsychclinic.com
Another mental health and substance abuse clinic in Hillsboro was recently renovated.
Chestnut Health, a nonprofit healthcare provider, offers a wide range of behavioral health, counseling and substance abuse recovery services across Missouri and Illinois.
Lori Epley, Chestnut’s director of project access, said the Hillsboro location opened in November 2023.
“We chose Hillsboro because it’s kind of a central location with the courts and probation and parole and children’s division agencies,” she said.
The Hillsboro location is the second Chestnut clinic based in Missouri; an appointment-only De Soto clinic also opened in April 2025 at 400 Boyd St.
Epley said De Soto was chosen because it is a rural community.
“There are no other providers in that area,” she said.
“We thought that De Soto would be more isolated and transportation would be an issue, so we wanted to make it more accessible to people.”
The De Soto Chamber of Commerce organized an open house and ribbon cutting to celebrate the opening Dec. 3.
The Greater Hillsboro Chamber of Commerce held an open house and ribbon cutting Dec. 3 at Hillsboro’s Chestnut clinic, 102 Fourth St.
For information or to schedule an appointment, visit chestnut.org or call 888-924-3786.