Creating a ‘Middle Ground': New Behavioral Health Crisis Center Set to Open in Collin County

MCKINNEY — For Collin County residents suffering from a mental health crisis, the options were few — either an emergency room, an inpatient psychiatric facility, or police intervention usually resulting in jail time.But beginning Aug. 1, a new option will be in place when Behavioral Health Crisis Center opens at the intersection of West University Drive and North Church Street. The 24-hour center will be operated by LifePath Services, the mental health authority for Collin County.Tammy Mahan, director of behavioral health at LifePath, said Wednesday that the new center would help "better manage the individuals that were in crisis" because before this, "there was really no middle ground." Mahan said there were often cases in which people in need of mental health help sat in emergency rooms for hours, sometimes days, before seeing a health professional. That will all change with the opening of the center, which held an open house Wednesday for the public to see the new digs."Anybody struggling with any kind of substance abuse or possible mental health issue can call the hotline, and we'll help them work through what's going on, what are their options," she said.  Continue reading...