Partnership to grow mental health awareness at the Fairbanks
The Be Well bell at the Fairbanks is made possible through Healthy Blue, Springfield Community Gardens and by the Drew Lewis Foundation’s RISE program.
For immediate release (May 19, 2025)
SPRINGFIELD — Just as the schoolhouse bell once signaled the start of a new day, a ceremonial bell welcomes Springfieldians to a community connection point and encourages them to care for their mental health.
The Be Well bell at the Fairbanks (1126 N Broadway Ave.) celebrates access to quality mental health care in Springfield, and is made possible through Healthy Blue, Springfield Community Gardens and by the Drew Lewis Foundation’s RISE program. Drew Lewis Foundation founder Amy Blansit says the bell display provides a great mix of awareness and connection to mental health resources.
“We really focus on community initiatives that help bring services and connectedness into many of our underserved or under-resourced communities,” Blansit said. “It’s really important for us to share this, to get it out and make sure that more individuals understand the purpose of what this means, how we help improve the concepts of mental health.”
The Be Well Bell displays include information on how to access behavioral health care in an effort to remove barriers and increase access to quality health care.
On a patch of land that used to be a school playground, volunteers and staff members with Springfield Community Gardens grow produce that is placed in free community refrigerators on site at the Fairbanks or donated to Springfield-based nonprofit groups that tackle food insecurity. Through SCG’s farm school, participants learn about how to operate and scale agricultural projects.
Springfield Community Gardens Farm Educator Kevin Prather likes that the Fairbanks will have a piece of art that encourages the destigmatization of mental health care in Springfield. He hopes it starts some conversations.
“We have not historically done mental health well, or it hasn’t been very much on the forefront of conversation,” Prather said. “It’s a beautiful art installation, but it’s also a reminder.”
Burrell Behavioral Health Director of Be Well Initiatives Bailey Pyle, LPC, explained the Be Well Community launched its bell program in 2021 with the goal of “changing the way we view conversations about mental health, reducing the stigma about mental health and starting to create home and lives we enjoy living.”
The Be Well Bell program offers blank bells to be painted with a meaningful design for public display. The bell is symbolic in the world of behavioral health. When state-run asylums were closed, metal workers took the chains and shackles that were once used to restrain institutionalized persons and cast the metal to make bells.
Healthy Blue donated the blank bell that members of the RISE class painted to transform into a colorful piece depicting people standing together.
“At Healthy Blue, we believe that mental health care should be accessible, inclusive, and integrated into the heart of our communities,” said Jeff Davis, President of Healthy Blue Missouri. “The Be Well Bell at the Fairbanks is more than a piece of public art — it’s a symbol of hope, healing, and our shared commitment to removing barriers to care. We’re proud to partner with Burrell Behavioral Health and the Drew Lewis Foundation to make mental well-being a visible and valued part of life in Springfield.”
About Burrell Behavioral Health: Burrell Behavioral Health serves 18 Missouri counties and provides behavioral health, substance-use treatment, case management, crisis, developmental disability and employment services. Burrell Behavioral Health is a subsidiary of Brightli, Inc. Learn more at burrellcenter.com.
About Healthy Blue: Healthy Blue is a Medicaid product offered by Missouri Care, Inc., a MO HealthNet Managed Care health plan contracting with the Missouri Department of Social Services - Healthy Blue is administered statewide by Missouri Care, Inc. and in Kansas City service region by Missouri Care, Inc. in cooperation with Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Kansas City. Missouri Care, Inc. and Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Kansas City are both independent licensees of the Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association. Healthy Blue recognizes the challenges low-income and underserved individuals face, and tailors its programs such that health plan members are assured care that is not only accessible, but also accountable, comprehensive, integrated and patient-centered. Healthy Blue provides ongoing community relations and outreach to encourage members to become active participants in their healthcare. To learn more about Healthy Blue, visit http://myhealthybluemo.com and on Facebook, X and LinkedIn @HealthlyBlueMO.
About the Drew Lewis Foundation: The mission of the Drew Lewis Foundation is to educate, empower, and support underserved families through personalized programs and coaching to increase quality of life and build resilient communities. Learn more at http://drewlewis.org. The Reaching Independence through Support and Education (RISE) program provides a hand up for individuals to build toward financial stability and self-sufficiency.
Media contact: Rance Burger, Director of Media Relations
Email: rance.burger@burrellcenter.com