Special to the Journal
On Wednesday, October 30, Bell County and Central Counties Services (CCS) hosted an Open House event at the Bell County Diversion Center.
The facility officially opens in November, but visitors to the event were able to tour the space and learn how it will impact the community.
The Bell County Diversion Center is a result of a community-wide partnership between Bell County, Central Counties Services, local law enforcement agencies, the criminal justice system, and area healthcare providers. The Diversion Center will function as a Crisis Residential Unit, operated by Central Counties Services, with a goal of diverting individuals with mental health conditions away from the criminal justice system and into mental healthcare.
Johnnie Wardell, Executive Director of Central Counties Services, opened the event, speaking about how the project began with conversations over a decade ago.
“The conversations at that time were focused on the needs of those with severe and persistent mental illness who, because of their illness, were frequently engaged with law enforcement for low level offenses that landed them either in jail or in local emergency departments,” Wardell said. “Nothing about this situation was or is positive. Both law enforcement and local emergency rooms have struggled with providing the care and support this population needs, while neither are equipped or designed to do so.”
Judge David Blackburn spoke after Wardell, highlighting the community collaboration that went into the center’s creation.
“This day has been a long time coming,” Judge Blackburn said. “It started with a hope that turned into a vision that led to the development of a plan that now has brick and mortar and hands and feet and heart in the room. Thanks to everyone, past, present, and future, who has or have or will play a part in helping all the individuals who will come through these doors.”
The Diversion Center will have room for up to 16 individuals at a time. Officials expect that most stays will last between 6 and 10 days. Admissions will be on a voluntary basis. The facility will be open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year.
Individuals admitted to the Diversion Center will receive both general health and psychiatric assessments. They will take part in both individual and group programming designed to address their specific symptoms. They will also have access to psychiatric medications with weekly pharmacological management. Then, as their discharge draws near, they will be connected to community resources, including potential housing assistance, to help them re-enter society.
When it opens, the facility will be open to individuals, age 18 or older, who have been arrested on trespassing charges, who are not seen as presenting a threat to themselves or others. Individuals with criminal histories of sexual assault or violence will not be admitted. Likewise, staff will not be able to admit anyone who is actively intoxicated, at high risk of severe withdrawal, unstable medically, or needing inpatient psychiatric care.
