A Walk-In Center for People Facing Mental Health Crises Is Proposed for the NEK
Seven Days
Urgent care for the mind — that's the idea behind a new proposal to improve mental health care in the Northeast Kingdom.
A nonprofit mental health agency in the region wants to launch a treatment center for people suffering from panic attacks, suicidal thoughts and other psychiatric crises. They would be able to walk in off the street without an appointment, see a trained clinician and even stay a few days for observation, if necessary.
As Vermont grapples with a mental health crisis that has strained local resources, the proposal is envisioned as a way to serve people before they land in a hospital emergency room to languish for days, or even weeks, awaiting treatment — tying up precious beds in the process.