The Western Idaho Community Crisis Center will serve Adams, Canyon, Gem, Owyhee, Payette, and Washington Counties. Mental health and substance abuse disorder crisis services will be provided for adults.
There will be emergency medical technicians, therapists, social workers, and peer support on site.
Southwest District Health, in partnership with Lifeways Inc, will provide outpatient acute stabilization and connect community members with additional resources. The center aims to allow an alternative to hospitalization and jail to those with limited or no access to outpatient services.
The project manager at Southwest District Health says there is a high need for mental health services in Southwest Idaho.
"What we know is that one in five folks experience mental health issues in their lifetime and that's a lot of people in our community, so mental health, substance use disorder doesn't discriminate between social economic status, race or religion, ethnicity. We can all face a crisis in something in our life and this center will help those folks in need," said Cristina Froude, Southwest District Health.
All income levels , insured and uninsured, will be welcome at the center. The center will be open 365 days a year, 24/7, but stays will be limited to 23 hours and 59 minutes.
The hope is to open the crisis center by mid-April.
