Dellwood is home to the area’s first nonprofit community pharmacy and treatment clinic. RX Outreach and Assisted Recovery Centers of America (ARCA) have partnered to open the site in the Refuge and Restoration (R&R) Marketplace.
RX Outreach is the nation’s largest nonprofit digital pharmacy and now has “a beautiful marriage” with ARCA, a St. Louis-based behavioral health organization, to provide a barrier-free approach to mental and addiction treatment services.
Percy Menzies, ARCA president and founder, called the north St. Louis County clinic and pharmacy partnership “an oasis.”
“Especially with stigmas around people who struggle with substance abuse. It’s an oasis within a desert area,” Menzies said.
“You not only have treatment deserts but pharmacy deserts. This is a not-for-profit pharmacy, so if you don’t have funds, they will help you.”
Menzies said nonprofit pharmacies are rare, and they offer some patients “a choice between their household needs and medication.”
The shared, yet separate, space will allow patients to pick up affordable medication at RX Outreach right after receiving treatment within the ARCA clinic.
State Sen. Brian Williams thanked Revs. Ken and Beverly Jenkins for founding the R&R marketplace after years of dedicated work.
“I’ve been very fortunate to not only represent this region but also serve on the [R&R] board. And to have this entity come in, to provide access to healthcare for our community, it’s going to provide opportunities for the black community,” he said.
“Access to healthcare, addressing mental health and behavioral health issues has been a priority to me and that’s something I’ve focused on in the Missouri senate, and I’m glad to see that support come into fruition today.”
The collaboration began when Menzies noticed the overdose statistics within the Black community were climbing. He realized there was a need for help. His first step was approaching pastors within the St. Louis area.
“They were skeptical initially, but then they noticed how sincere we were,” Menzies said.
From there, the first ARCA clinic opened within the Jubilee Community Church. Menzies then took the opportunity to expand to R&R Marketplace.
In 2023, the State of Mental Health in America reported that 21% of adults (51 million) had a mental health disorder, and 15% of adults (37 million) had a substance abuse addiction in the past year.
According to a RX Outreach press release, Missouri is facing a mental health and substance abuse crisis, with the highest mortality rate from substance abuse being in North St. Louis County. Currently, the clinic serves over 700 active patients within a two-mile radius of the Dellwood clinic.
Williams said the partnership is something North St. Louis County deserves.
“Creating that access without barriers to where folks can not only get access to healthcare but also get the treatment and it removes the stigma that is impacted, in my opinion, in the Black community and a lot of people when it comes to mental health and behavioral,” he said.
Menzies says the staff of the RX Outreach and ARCA clinic “are people who were born and raised within the Dellwood community.”
This includes Dr. Jordyn Norde, who works as lead pharmacist at RX Outreach.
The community pharmacy and clinic are open six days a week, Tuesday through Saturday. Patients don’t need to make an appointment, and insurance isn’t required. The pharmacy is available for clinic patients and everyone in the St. Louis community.
“Life moves at the speed of relationships,” said Sen. Williams about the partnership that has brought a much needed pharmacy and health care facility to Dellwood.
