Tuscaloosa County, City Officials Hope To Land $6M Crisis Center

TUSCALOOSA, AL — Local officials in Tuscaloosa say a new $6 million mental health crisis diversion center proposed by Gov. Kay Ivey would prove an invaluable asset to a county where resources are stretched thin.

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While Ivey, during her State of the State Address on Tuesday, also proposed a $46 million investment at the state-run Taylor Hardin Secure Medical Facility in Tuscaloosa that would add 96 beds, officials pointed out that Tuscaloosa County being in the running to secure funding for its own crisis center would prove to have a much more localized impact for the community if the funding is approved.

Tuscaloosa County Probate Judge Rob Robertson, who also serves as chair of the Tuscaloosa County Commission, told Patch on Wednesday that the process to win out among other competing counties would be competitive, but went on to say Tuscaloosa would be the logical choice due to its current mental healthcare infrastructure.

"Taylor Hardin doesn’t do us a whole lot of good, because it's a statewide facility," he said. "We were very excited to hear about the expansion and that will be an enhancement that's very much needed ... but I was very excited that she is seeking another $6 million funding path for another mental health crisis center."

Sgt. D. Craig Parker, who serves as supervisor of the Tuscaloosa Police Department's Behavioral Health Unit, told Patch on Wednesday that a crisis center located in Tuscaloosa would have a tremendous impact on mental health treatment, as well as police service.

"Currently, all persons in the area experiencing a mental health crisis are routed through DCH-Northport Emergency Department and North Harbor Pavilion," he said. "Some of these include persons experiencing symptoms due to drug and/or alcohol use. If we use the crisis center model that has been implemented in other areas of the nation, it will be able to address all of these issues. We would be able to alleviate some of the strain on our current system, and get officers back into service in a more timely fashion to better serve the public."

The Tuscaloosa Police Department recently reported that its officers responded to 62 calls in January involving someone with a mental health concern, along with another 22 involving a suicidal person. TPD says if that trend continues, the department expects approximately 1,000 of these mental health-related calls by the end of the current year.

"With the surge of mental health calls that police have been asked to respond to in recent years, I see a crisis center as an absolute necessity," Parker said. "Tuscaloosa has traditionally been the epicenter for mental health treatment in the State of Alabama, and it is past time for us to reassume a leadership role in this area."

Three state-funded mental health crisis diversion centers were approved in the first round of funding, with locations in Huntsville, Mobile and Montgomery. Robertson then said Tuscaloosa would likely be vying against the likes of Birmingham and Jefferson County if the funding is approved by the state legislature.

"We have an acute mental health facility at North Harbor, then we have state hospitals," Robertson pointed out. "The crisis center concept is kind of a go-between and you have someone who is having perhaps mental health issues, they may be out and trespass and end up in jail. It's a little more secure than hospital settings. It's not a jail and you can help get people to mental health or substance help, that's what's really key. A lot of times they’re intertwined and having both of those halves in a crisis center, that’s what we need in this county."

In his role as probate judge, Robertson said he is faced with the need every time he is on the bench dealing with involuntary commitments.

"We have nowhere near enough resources for the needs and they're growing," he said. "We’re going to fight hard for this one. I'm just glad the opportunity is going to be presented to the legislature this session and we’re going to have to compete to get it."

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