Charter school campus eyed for downtown mental health center
Record SearchlightSep 28, 2016
The facility would provide better care for those battling mental illness and reduce the use of hospital emergency rooms,
It would be staffed by licensed mental health professionals and case managers, and the local chapter of the
Both Hill Country Health and
However, Dorroh emphasized that it's not a done deal. Plans still need city approval and the school's board of directors has not OK'd the lease.
Dorroh and
Dorroh and Claasen tried to reassure their neighbors that the center is not a homeless center or shelter, and also addressed concerns about loitering and the potential for criminal activity, problems neighbors say have diminished since the
"What we emphasized last night is this project is not targeting homeless people. This project is targeting people with urgent mental health needs," Dorroh said Tuesday.
Some are not convinced.
Sondh, who attended Monday's meeting, is emphatic that
"Smack dab in the middle of downtown
"I went quite frankly with some resistance and came out of the meeting being mildly supportive," he said. "My view is it will probably be a net positive. ... We are going to have someplace lit and staffed until 11 at night. I think that would be a great thing."
Christoph also credited Dorroh and Claassen for holding the presentation.
"You didn't need to do that, in terms of having a meeting like this, but they want to be good neighbors," Christoph said.
Based in
Opening a mental health center will complement that facility and provide a more holistic approach to health care, Dorroh said.
"So we have this inclination to integrate mental health and behavioral health services into primary care," she said. "We really believe that is the right solution for a person with serious mental illness."
"I don't know," Christensen said Tuesday. "In one aspect it would be nice to have somebody here. But another aspect is I have concerns what could happen."
But Christensen has an open mind.
"I understand they want to help mental health," she said. "I just need more information."
Claassen of
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