For those suffering from a mental health crisis, more resources are coming to North Alabama.
In fact, one resource is currently under construction. Wellstone Behavioral Health is building a mental health crisis diversion center.
It is one of four centers awarded a grant by Gov. Kay Ivey.
"We had to go through a very rigorous process in showing that we in North Alabama are one of the areas that truly need a facility like this," Josaylon Henry with Wellstone said.
Josaylon Henry is a licensed professional counselor and the chief clinical officer with Wellstone. She said right now, a temporary operation is running out of the current building.
However, it is limited to 20 patients and only for those referred by Huntsville Police or internal patients.
"Now and before we were awarded this opportunity, it was probably if someone was having a mental health break or emergency in the community, they would either end up in jail, which is not the place for someone who is experiencing that or in the hospital where right now the overload for the individuals coming in to receive emergency care services is huge," Henry said.
This new, multimillion-dollar facility will be open to the public and house 42 patients.
"There's a huge awareness, you know, that my medical situation and well being in now just as important as my mental health state."
Henry said construction should be completed by next spring. The other crisis centers awarded a grant by the state are in Montgomery, Mobile and, most recently, Birmingham.
