Crisis Triage Center To Help Mentally Ill

A treatment center designed specifically for behavioral health.

What is referred to as the ?Crisis Triage Center? is essentially a first of its kind clinic for the mentally ill in Dona Ana County, and has support from local law enforcement.

Las Cruces Police Chief Richard Williams said it would not only help patients, but also enhance public safety.

?It would give us an opportunity for us to help those folks, and might potentially eliminate the population that is out there that we deal with on a regular basis when it comes to being mentally ill,? Williams said.

The Center would provide immediate evaluations for non-violent adults with mental health issues.

Nationally, nearly half of men and about 30% of women in jail suffer from mental illness.

Chief Williams says, on average, dispatchers respond to more than 30 behavioral-health related calls per day ? tying up emergency phone lines and officers, who are then forced to serve as counselors.

City Councillor Dolores Connor said a Crisis Triage Center would provide people the help they need, regardless of age.

?Sometimes when we talk about mental instability we think it?s only the 20 to 30 year old scenario and we don?t push it further to the fact all age groups are affected by this.?

And residents said a center catering to behavioral health for non-violent individuals is more effective than having an evaluation at a general hospital or jail.

?It?s humiliating to be taken to the hospital and waiting there 12 hours to get help or not getting help at all,? Kelly Martin said. ?It’s just awful, or going to jail and being treated really bad.”

The facility will be built on county land next to the Dona Ana County Detention Center.

Construction is estimated at $1.6 million.

City councillors and county commissioners will discuss funding at a meeting in November.