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Governor Ned Lamont and Department of Children and Families Open Urgent Crisis Centers for Children’s Mental Health
Governor Ned Lamont and the Department of Children and Families (DCF) have announced the opening of four children’s urgent crisis centers. These centers aim to provide immediate mental health services to children in need.
Grand Opening Celebrated in Hartford
A grand opening ceremony took place at the Village for Families and Children in Hartford to celebrate the launch of the first of the four centers. The initiative comes after legislation, signed by Governor Lamont, was passed addressing the mental health needs of children and teens.
Accessible Walk-in Clinics
The newly opened centers will function as walk-in clinics, ensuring that youth and their families have immediate access to resources when experiencing a behavioral health crisis. Such crises include thoughts of suicide or self-harm, feelings of depression, anxiety, and hopelessness, as well as substance misuse, among others.
Reducing Emergency Room Visits
These centers aim to divert youths and their families from visiting emergency rooms for behavioral health crises. By providing prompt and comprehensive care, the centers hope to alleviate the strain on emergency services and prioritize the mental well-being of children and teens.
Locations of the Urgent Crisis Centers
- The Village for Families and Children in Hartford
- Yale New Haven Hospital in New Haven
- The Child and Family Agency of Southeastern Connecticut in New London
- Wellmore Behavioral Health in Waterbury
Addressing Urgent Mental Health Needs
Governor Lamont emphasizes the urgency in addressing the mental health needs of children, treating it as a public health priority. He states, “These children’s urgent crisis centers are being created to provide an immediate and direct resource to families whenever a behavioral health situation arises among children and teens. The centers will provide intensive assessment, stabilization, and ongoing connection to care.”
Current Capacity
According to officials, the total capacity of the four centers is currently 72 daily slots. This ensures that a significant number of children and teens can receive the necessary support and care they require.
