By Elizabeth Connelly
A walk-in, 24-hour crisis stabilization center is being built in Frederick County to connect individuals with mental health and substance use issues to the services they need
The center’s purpose is to connect individuals with mental health and substance use issues to services and also ease the burden on the county’s first responders and hospital by diverting these individuals away from the emergency room because statistically 20% of emergency room visits are mental or behavioral health related according to a county news release.
The center will be operated by the Mental Health Association under the direction of the County Health Department. There will be licensed clinical and medical providers, peer support specialists and navigators, and masters and bachelors level mental health professionals.
As a part of the federal omnibus bill Frederick County will receive $1.8 million to be put toward local projects in Frederick, Including $699,000 will be put toward Frederick County’s new center.
“The Local Behavioral Health Authority (housed in the Behavioral Health Services Division of the Frederick County Health Department) has been planning this new level of care for many years,” Assistant Director of Behavioral Health Jay Hessler said. It will accept referrals from law Enforcement, the mental health association/988/211, Sheppard Pratt Mobile Crisis, the Department of Fire and Rescue Services, and Emergency Management/911 Dispatch. Hessler goes on to explain that this will be an alternative destination for those who may not need to go to the emergency department at Frederick Health Hospital when they are in crisis.
More services the center provides include psychiatric evaluation, medication induction, peer support, rest, hot meals, and connection to community services. Hessler explains the hope is to open Phase 1 of the center in September which includes the use of therapeutic recliners in lieu of beds. As the facility is built-out, a full range of beds will be introduced. “Once completed, the Crisis Stabilization Center will be a major part of our system of behavioral health care,” Hessler said.
