Minnesota's largest nonprofit, community-based mental health provider is set to open a new mental health treatment facility near George Floyd Square in the coming weeks.
People Incorporated is opening the facility at 3633 Chicago Avenue on October 18. The 13-bed facility was once a crisis residence operated by Hennepin Healthcare.
An open house Tuesday celebrated the facility and what it means for the community. Wendy Waddell is People Incorporated's Chief Operating Officer.
"It's a celebration, because it's a fabulous building that is very much open with private rooms, private bathrooms, and it really helps with what we can trauma informed care, respectful of our clients needs," explains Waddell. "So we're really excited about it."
The adult crisis residential treatment center allows patients to stay for up to 10 days, or up to 90 days through the intensive residential treatment services (IRTS) program.
Each patient is able to stay in their own, private room. Gabe Becker-Finn is director of operations at People Incorporated.
"It really helps with the treatment environment because you don't have a roommate with you, you have space of your own to reflect and figure out what you need for that time and place," says Becker-Finn.
Along with private rooms, the home features a couple of large community gathering rooms with views of Chicago Avenue. There's a spacious backyard which includes raised garden beds.
The hybrid treatment facility allows those experiencing a mental health crisis to receive uninterrupted treatment for months without having to move out of a facility.
"People are able to leave the facility," Becker-Finn said. "It's important to us people access the community. We want our house to reflect that."
The Chicago Avenue program is People Incorporated's fourth hybrid treatment program with other locations in Chaska, Minneapolis and St. Paul.