BURLINGTON, Vt. — In recognition of World Suicide Prevention Day on September 10, Vermont is advancing its efforts to enhance mental health services with the imminent opening of a new Mental Health Urgent Care center. The center, a collaborative effort between the Department of Mental Health, the Howard Center, and other community partners, is set to open next month.
Slated to open on October 28, this will be the first mental health urgent care facility in Chittenden County and the fourth in the state. The center is designed to offer timely evaluations and connect adults with appropriate care providers and programs, addressing mental health needs promptly.
Charlotte McCorkel, Senior Director of Client Services at the Howard Center, emphasized the program’s role in suicide prevention. “The creation of this program is fundamentally a suicide prevention measure,” she said.
Operating on a walk-in basis, the center will cater to adults experiencing increasing or acute mental health issues, though it will not handle emergency situations. Maureen Leahy from the UVM Medical Center noted the significance of the walk-in model: “When individuals feel desperate and believe they have no other options, this center will provide a welcoming and supportive environment where they can begin to feel better.”
While the center will ideally operate daily, it will initially be open Monday through Friday, from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Due to staffing challenges faced by similar programs and the limitations of nonprofit and social services, the Howard Center has determined that a 24/7 operation is not feasible at this time.
The center will be funded by a three-year grant, which will cover most of its operational costs. Dr. Rob Althoff, Chair of Psychiatry at the UVM Health Network, highlighted the importance of this funding: “The three-year grant will provide valuable insights into the center’s size, scope, and overall cost, allowing us to explore conventional and potentially innovative billing models for sustaining the program long-term.”
The new Mental Health Urgent Care center represents a significant step forward in Vermont’s efforts to expand mental health support and enhance accessibility for those in need.
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