New crisis center opening in Austin

A brand new crisis center is set to open in Austin. The Judge Guy Herman Center for Mental Health Crisis is opening later this month.

The center is nearly 12,000 square feet and is located at 6600 East Ben White which is just east of Montopolis. It's for any adult who is suffering a mental health crisis.

In the first year, officials estimate the center will serve around 1,000 patients and they expect to serve nearly 1,500 in the second year.

After years of research, a group called Together by Central Health found that Austin and Travis County lacked adequate access to emergency psychiatric services. The new center will offer an alternative to inpatient care.

The center will provide short term emergency psychiatric crisis care in a secure, protected environment for adults. 

Services offered will be things like crisis assessment, individual and group therapy, medications, nursing services and case management.

The goal is to quickly resolve the individual's immediate emergency so that patient can return home or be transferred to another program. 

A ribbon cutting ceremony and tours of the new start are set for 11:30 a.m. but the center won't be open to clients until July 31st.

You can get more information here.