Bethany for Children & Families and Bridgeview Community Health Center are joining forces.

Bethany (which serves the greater Quad Cities area) and Bridgeview (of Clinton, Iowa) are two leading social services and mental health care organizations. They announced Monday that they have merged to “better deliver mission-driven, high-quality, and compassionate care to those in need.”

After many meetings and months of sharing information and insights on how best to serve the
communities, the merger establishes a management agreement between Bethany and Bridgeview, according to a Monday release. The unification of staff members is advantageous to both Bethany and Bridgeview and creates an economy of scale and synergy, which benefits both organizations and the clients they serve, they said.

This transition maintains the corporate structure of both organizations, while being governed by a single Board of Directors. The merger coincides with the retirement of Bridgeview executive director Paul Blair, after more than 25 years of service. Bethany president and CEO Bill Steinhauser, will provide leadership to both organizations.

Bridgeview Community Mental Health Center, at 1320 19th Avenue NW in Clinton, employs 34 people and has an annual budget of $3.2 million. Bethany for Children & Families, with
headquarters at 1701 River Drive in Moline, employs a dedicated staff of 90 social workers,
licensed therapists, educators, and licensed case managers, along with Human Resources, business, and support staff.

With an annual budget of $9.6 million, Bethany said it continues to expand its therapeutic
footprint to help the most vulnerable.