“Thank you for providing me a safe place to heal. It made me feel safe getting up, which is a first for me.”
This is a comment from one of more than 900 people who sought help from the Linn County Mental Health Access Center in fiscal year 2022 that ended June 30, 2022. Of the 900 people, 124 people were helped through law enforcement referrals. This is 124 people who would have otherwise been taken to jail or the emergency room for intoxication, suicidal thoughts, or other mental health emergencies. During post-discharge follow-up, 98 percent of patients reported the Mental Health Access Center staff helped create strong discharge plans.
The Access Center is open seven days a week from 8 a.m. to 10 p.m. to serve anyone who is 18 years of age or older and experiencing a mental health or substance use disorder crisis. No appointment is necessary. You do not need to be a resident of Linn County to use the Access Center.
Access Center staff will quickly assess the patient's situation, provide services and supports to help alleviate the crisis, and connect the patient to community-based services. Access Center services are provided by Abbe Health, Area Ambulance Service, Foundation 2 Crisis Services, and St. Luke's Chemical Dependency.
View the FY22 4th Quarter report (PDF).