As the mental health crisis continues across the country, one mental health provider is offering up more help.
Helio Health in Syracuse is set to open an intensive crisis stabilization center on Dec. 11, the first crisis center in New York state that will be open 24/7 every day and provide care for children and adults.
“The intensive crisis stabilization center means that 24/7, 365 days a year, people, no matter what time of day, no matter what day, no matter what holiday, have access to care," said Helio Health CEO Kathleen Gaffney-Babb.
According to Mental Health America, nearly 30% of adults with a mental illness in the U.S. are not able to get the care they need. Helio Health hopes the new center can serve as a resource for those struggling.
"Crises don’t happen 9 to 5. People with crises don’t operate 9 to 5, Monday through Friday," Gaffney-Babb said.
Social workers say the center is prepared to help patients of all ages with whatever they are going through.
“Oftentimes, folks who are experiencing a crisis just need a little help to get over the hump and get back to stability. Other times, folks need long-term medications," said Tania Lyons, service director for the stabilization center.
The center is expected to see more than 5,000 patients a year, helping facilities seeing an increase in child psychiatric consults.
“We’re going to be able to take some of that burden off of the emergency rooms, children hospital, CPEP, so they can provide that level of care that’s need for folks going to those locations for those reasons," she said.
Mental health professionals say this new facility will go a long way in making sure everyone gets the exact level of care they need.
“We encounter this barrier of, they can’t really stay where they’re at because they need a break from the environment in order to help their deescalation," Lyons said. "However, they don’t meet hospital level of care and don’t need to go to a hospital environment and oftentimes, don’t want to.”
There are separate areas for adults and children. They expect to see up to 15 patients a day.