Behavioral Health Partners Inc. to oversee crisis recovery center

Douglas County Commissioners endorsed the proposed governance structure and bylaws of Behavioral Health Partners, Inc. during their Sept. 9 meeting. Behavioral Health Partners, Inc., a nonprofit partnership between LMH Health and Bert Nash Community Mental Health Center, will provide leadership, clinical oversight and operational management of the crisis recovery center on the Treatment and Recovery Campus of Douglas County.

“I think the notion of behavioral health partners, a hospital and an excellent community mental health center partnering together is somewhat ideal for a crisis center because it is the intersection of emergency care and mental health care,” LMH Health President & CEO Russ Johnson said.

Behavioral Health Partners, Inc. will be governed by a nine-member Board of Directors. LMH Health, Bert Nash and the Board of Douglas County Commissioners will each appoint three members to the board. The Board will include subject matter and lived experience experts, including at least one member with direct lived experience with mental illness, substance abuse or addiction.

“The work that has gone into developing this was not easy. It was challenging and we even hired consultants to help guide our way through this because collaboration is difficult, but the benefits are huge,” County Commission Chair Patrick Kelly said. “This is a huge moment and certainly something we should celebrate.”

All aspects of the program, services, hours of operation and other matters will be addressed through a funding agreement between Douglas County and Behavioral Health Partners Inc. to ensure transparency in operations, funding and contracted services.

A ground breaking ceremony for the crisis recovery center is scheduled for Friday, Oct. 23, with construction expected to be completed by January 2022. Treanor HL is the architect for the recovery crisis center and MarLan Construction is providing construction management services.

The crisis recovery center will provide high quality behavioral health crisis services performed by a patient-focused, multi-disciplinary team. Staff will include: mental health professionals, peer support specialists, behavioral health technicians, licensed addiction staff, case managers and psychiatric professionals. The center will have an access center, 23-hour observation unit and crisis stabilization unit.