Burrell Behavioral Crisis Center Celebration
Burrell Behavioral Health, the Health Living Alliance and the Springfield-Greene County Health Department hosted an anniversary event for the Behavioral Crisis Center, featuring local leaders and elected officials, and members of Healthy Living Alliance at 8:30 a.m. Thursday, June 17, at the Behavioral Crisis Center, 800 S. Park Ave., Springfield.
Burrell’s Behavioral Crisis Center – Rapid Access Unit opened in June 2020, at the height of the pandemic. Since then, it has provided services to nearly 1,300 individuals in need of:
- Immediate psychiatric services
- Medication-assisted treatment for opioid use
- Psychiatric assessment
- Initial assessment eligibility determination
- Brief therapy
- Peer support services
- 23-hour observation
- Referral to appropriate follow up treatment
The crisis center allows for the coordination of necessary services and ongoing treatment options to improve the outcomes of people experiencing a mental health crisis. The around-the-clock facility was designed as an option for emergency responders to refer to- for those in the middle of mental health crises or simply needing services- instead of adding additional pressure to local emergency rooms or jails. This event is an opportunity for media to learn more about how the crisis center can serve the community and help increase its utilization by raising awareness. Recently, the requirement to remain at 50% of the facilities capacity to prevent the spread of COVID-19 was lifted, meaning the crisis center can now serve twice as many in need. Burrell Behavioral Health is encouraged that the crisis center has already become a safe space for many in Springfield and the surrounding areas.