Mental health urgent care takes root in Vermont
VTDigger
The Access Hub, newly opened in downtown Montpelier, is nothing like the emergency department at Central Vermont Medical Center, about 4 miles away.
That, in fact, is the point.
Open since early October just a few blocks from Main Street, the place is small, just a few connected rooms in a squat brick building on Barre Street owned by Washington County Mental Health Services. But the concept —- providing a quiet place outside the hospital for people seeking care during a mental health or substance use crisis — is big, and is taking root across Vermont, seeded by federal funding.
The Access Hub, which is for adults age 18 and older, had several people visit within its first few days, said Karen Kurrle, director of intensive care services at Washington County Mental Health Services. Staff members are trying to spread the word about it.