Plans to open a new behavioral crisis center in Cleveland this fall are in jeopardy, as a key funder considers pulling its support from the project.
Supporters say the center could transform how Cuyahoga County responds to mental health emergencies. But the county鈥檚 independent mental health board, which had pledged the bulk of the operating funding, now says the project could come at the expense of other behavioral health programs.
What is a crisis stabilization center?
The proposed facility would operate as a 24-hour stabilization center where people experiencing a mental health or substance-use crisis could walk in or be brought by police, ambulance or family members to receive immediate care.
Right now, many people in crisis in Cuyahoga County end up in emergency rooms or jail cells, settings that are not designed to treat mental health emergencies.
Eric Morse, CEO of the nonprofit The Centers, which would run the facility, said Northeast Ohio hospitals estimate there are about 20,000 emergency room visits each year tied to behavioral health crises in the county.
鈥淓mergency rooms are noisy, chaotic places," Morse said. "Someone might sit there for hours or even days without getting the treatment they actually need.鈥�
What led to the funding issues?
The project鈥檚 future became uncertain after the Alcohol, Drug Addiction and Mental Health Services Board of Cuyahoga County, known as the ADAMHS Board, raised concerns about its ability to pay for the center鈥檚 operations.
The board had initially pledged about $10 million a year to run the facility. But its new CEO, Jason Joyce, recently said the board鈥檚 current budget cannot support the cost without cutting funding to other mental health providers in the county.
That has created an either-or scenario: funding the crisis center or maintaining support for dozens of smaller community programs.
鈥淭here are a lot of ifs built into this 鈥� projections, a county council vote and whether the volume (of patients) actually shows up,鈥� Joyce said. 鈥淣ormally those big bets are on the provider. In this deal, the county and the ADAMHS Board inherit a lot of that risk.鈥�
The Centers has since revised its operating budget for the facility and lowered its request to about $6 million annually. But it鈥檚 unclear whether that will be enough of a drop to secure the board鈥檚 continued support.
If the ADAMHS Board pulls out, Morse said the project could also lose millions of dollars in federal pandemic relief funding and local opioid settlement money that had been designated for the center.
What's at stake with this decision?
Some community members say the potential loss of the crisis center would be devastating.
The Centers and Greater Cleveland Congregations recently hosted an event to raise awareness about the project, drawing about 100 people.
Among them was Anita Arrington-Bey, whose adult son died in a Cuyahoga County jail cell during a mental health episode.
"(My son) did not have access to a facility like the Behavioral Crisis Center," Arrington-Bey said. 鈥淚 feel had there been something around like that at the time, he would still be here with us.鈥�
At the same time, the ADAMHS Board is grappling with broader financial challenges, including the loss of county funding and the use of reserve funds in recent years.
The board currently funds roughly 70 programs that provide services such as counseling, housing support and addiction treatment.
Officials say people experiencing mental health crises will still receive care. But they warn that if too much funding is concentrated on the crisis center, other services could be cut 鈥� including those that support people after their immediate crises.
What's next for the crisis center?
The Centers is expected to present its case for the crisis center at an ADAMHS board meeting Wednesday.
The board is scheduled to vote on whether to continue funding the project on March 25, a decision that could determine whether the facility opens as planned in September.
