The Bothwell Regional Health Center’s ToRCH program provided support to the Dillon family of southern Pettis County following a car accident in September 2025 that left their son, Adam Larsson, paralyzed from the waist down, according to an April 14 announcement.
The story highlights how Medicaid recipients in Pettis County can benefit from new funding sources and programs like ToRCH, which help address non-medical needs for people facing health challenges. The Dillons were able to secure home modifications and accessibility improvements thanks to this assistance.
Adam Larsson, age 19, was seriously injured in a car accident on Sept. 21, 2025. After surgery and rehabilitation, he returned home on Oct. 24. His father Kevin Dillon said they struggled at first to find resources for making their house accessible but learned about Bothwell’s ToRCH program through Mercy Services United. “The person I spoke with told me about Bothwell’s ToRCH program,” Kevin said. “I learned that the program would pay for up to $4,000 for home modifications.” The family worked with Solid Value Contracting of Lowry City to build a wheelchair ramp and deck before Thanksgiving. Traci Miller of Solid Value Contracting said, “My daughter suffered a traumatic brain injury while playing softball in high school… I really empathized with Adam’s story. He’s so young and has his whole life ahead of him.” Miller added: “The budget didn’t matter to us… We were going to make it work.” Improvements continued into early 2026 when the bathroom was renovated for accessibility.
Elizabeth Green, Bothwell ToRCH program manager, explained the purpose behind these efforts: “We know that if people have safety issues in their homes… they’re more likely to end up in the emergency room or hospitalized,” Green said. “ToRCH allows us to address those everyday needs that play a major role in long-term health.” Since becoming Pettis County’s hub in early 2024, Green said the program has made over 1,300 service referrals serving more than 500 people.
The impact of Bothwell’s work has extended beyond Pettis County as Missouri received $216 million from federal funding under the Rural Health Transformation Program created by legislation signed into law in 2025. This will expand similar services statewide through an initiative called ToRCH Care.
“It validates the importance of this work in Pettis County and across rural Missouri,” Green said. “We’re excited to continue helping people stay safe and healthy where they live.”
