GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. — Local medical and mental health leaders say a new center is changing the narrative behind mental health by providing services to those who need it, whenever they need it.
On Monday, leaders celebrated the opening of the new Behavioral Health Crisis Center in Grand Rapids.
It's a partnership between Network 180 and Trinity Health Grand Rapids, that the president of Trinity Health Matt Biersack, said has been in the works for years.
"We hope to demonstrate that there's real value between a private health system and a Community Mental Health Authority coming together to address 24/7 needs of patients that are in a mental health crisis,” said Biersack.
The center will provide two main services: Brief intervention, which is rapid access to outpatient crisis intervention, and secure crisis stabilization to help those with complex and intense needs.
Kent County Board of Commissioners Chair Stanley Stek says providing these services will help patients during the crisis and after.
"This really takes us to the point of being able to effectively deal with those in crisis in ways that not only will be better for them, and enhance the services and the outcomes for them,” said Stek.
Network 180 Chief Operating Officer Beverly Ryskanp says it also helps other emergency agencies.
“What this center will mean is that our emergency departments and our public safety officers won't have to spend as much of their time responding to behavioral health crisises. So that frees them up to respond to medical emergencies and public safety emergencies,” said Ryskanp.
The center will also the center will have other things like medical care, behavioral nursing and therapy.
Leaders say they goal is to have the center open by June.
►Make it easy to keep up to date with more stories like this. Download the 13 ON YOUR SIDE app now.
Have a news tip? Email news@13onyourside.com, visit our Facebook page or Twitter. Subscribe to our YouTube channel.
Watch 13 ON YOUR SIDE for free on Roku, Amazon Fire TV Stick, Apple TV and on your phone.