Time for Change

1978 brought about an exciting year of change.  Dr. Ruth Cooper with some help from friends of Lee Mental Health, applied for and received a Farmers Home Administration Loan to begin construction on a new facility that brought all services together in one main location – to act as a hub to the other service sites and satellites.  This is the beginning of the campus we occupy today that now bears Dr. Cooper’s name.
This was also the first FHA loan for a mental health facility ever in the country.

“Once our doors were open, we were overwhelmed by the numbers of people who came for help. In fact, that’s been the story of our life ever since.”
– Dr. Ruth Cooper, 1992

Timeline

1969
Lee Mental Health was chartered, doors opened in 1970

1979
Ground breaking on Ortiz site

1987
CSU opened

2000
Charter Glade closes its doors

2001
G. Pierce Wood Hospital closes

2004
Lee Mental Health enters private/public partnership to buy Charter Glade facility, breaks ground June.

2006
Feb . 2006 VISTA op ens

Early Days – Jackson Street

VISTA - Colonial Boulevard

Lee Mental Health
2789 Ortiz Avenue
Fort Myers, Florida   33905
(239) 275-3222