Salida, CO – Solvista Health will break ground Thursday, May 6th, on a new integrated Behavioral Health Treatment Center serving a wide seven-county region in Colorado’s rural mountains. The groundbreaking is perfectly timed to coincide with May Is Mental Health Month which raises awareness for mental health and addiction recovery.
The region, which includes Chaffee, Custer, Fremont, Lake, Park and surrounding counties, lacks higher levels of care for mental health or substance use treatment, causing residents to travel over 100 miles, in some cases, to receive help. The Regional Assessment Center (RAC) will fill this gap and provide new services, including:
- 24/7/365 Behavioral Health Crisis Services
- Acute Treatment for Mental Health - intensive, short-term treatment (usually up to a week) options for severe mental health challenges
- Withdrawal Management for Substance Use – a safe, supervised treatment space to withdraw from alcohol and drugs
- Respite Care – a place to comfortably and safely get a break from a difficult situation
“A 13,000 square mile donut hole, smack dab across the middle of our state,” is how Brian Turner, CEO of Solvista Health, describes the gap in appropriate behavioral health services for a massive swath of Colorado. “Our state ranks in the top 10 nationally for alarming rates of drug and alcohol problems, and yet we are also among the highest for unmet treatment needs,” says Brian Turner.
In February of 2020, Solvista Health was awarded a $700,000 grant to help build the new treatment facility. The grant was made possible through Colorado House Bill 19-1287, which targeted treatment in rural and frontier counties. Solvista continues to work with the legislature, private foundations and individual and corporate donors to help raise funds for the project.
“Research shows an undeniable connection between substance use, mental health, and the overall health of individuals and our communities,” said Brian Turner. “So, we have teamed up with our local partners and community leaders to design an option that will provide an integrated, comprehensive approach.” Over 50 public and private organizations signed on in support of this project across the region showing their awareness of the problem and their commitment to making local communities healthy, thriving places to live, work and play.
Construction begins next month, and the goal is to have the project completed, by March 2022. Solvista Health is hoping to raise $7 million to realize the full vision. The facility will be located on the Heart of the Rockies Regional Medical Center campus in Salida and is an example of the growing collaboration between the two nonprofit organizations. The cooperation does not end there. Planning has been underway largely through the Region 13 Substance Abuse Regional Coalition (SARC) and will continue with increased engagement and feedback from community members.
Tax deductible contributions can be made by contacting Jill Anderson, 719-275-2351. Or, visiting, www.solvistahealth.org.
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