A New Hope for Mental Health: chariots
Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, recently welcomed a beacon of hope for those struggling with mental health crises. Named the Connections Emergency Behavioral Health Crisis Walk-in Center, it is the region’s first 24/7 treatment facility open to all.
“We know that mental health is not a crime,” Dauphin County Commissioner George Hartwick stressed during a recent tour. "They (people struggling with mental illness) shouldn’t be given an option of jail, an emergency room, or being left to fend for themselves on the street."
The center aims to provide immediate care for individuals experiencing a mental health crisis, regardless of their ability to pay. It’s a stark contrast to the long waits and limited resources that have often characterized mental health care.
Middletown resident Susan King watched in tears From a distance as a young woman sobbed uncontrollably in front of the Dauphin County courthouse. "I know that woman needs help," King shared, her voice catching. "It breaks my heart."
The new facility throws a lifeline to people like the young woman King observed. Within its walls, patients receive a comprehensive assessment by a psychiatrist within 90 minutes. This quick response is so vital, said Annie Strite, Mental Health/IDD administrator for Cumberland and Perry counties.
“They hit the door, and they’re seen by a clinician, minute one,” she explained. “Like urgent care, whenever we’re sick.” This immediacy helps diminish the worsening anxiety and distress often compounded by long er
The center offers further support with its mobile response units, staffed by mental health clinicians and individuals with lived experience, ready to respond to 9-1-1 centers, the state’s 9-8-8 crisis hotline, or county-level crisis teams.
Impact is already evident. Rob Martin, Director of Public Safety for Susquehanna Township, noted his department responded to nearly 368 mental health related calls in 2023 alone.
“I think all too often over the years those with mental health challenges have found themselves in prison," Martin observed. "
But the impact goes beyond just preventing incarceration. Since the Walk-in center has opened, local hospitals report a decrease in emergency room wait times due to patient backlog.
Connections, national leader in crisis care takes
operate the center, using a model previously employed in Arizona, Virginia, and other states with success.
Justin Jones,
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- "We know that mental health is not a crime.
Hartwick stressed during a recent tour. "They (people struggling with mental illness) shouldn’t be given an option of jail, an emergency room, or being left to fend for themselves on the street.
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