KNOXVILLE, Tenn. — A state report said there is a growing need for more mental health help in East Tennessee. Specifically, it said the area needs a new mental health hospital with 50 beds. That need is expected to grow to 100 beds by 2050.
After the Lakeshore Mental Health Institute closed in 2012, those in need of long-term inpatient mental health care were sent elsewhere.
"What we've seen is that the need has grown, the data shows that, you know, things have changed in 12 years," said Candace Allen, the clinical vice president of the McNabb Center. "And I think there's just a growing need for it. We appreciate the report that came back, and anything that can help fill gaps in our city."
The McNabb Center offers outpatient mental health services and a crisis stabilization unit, but no long-term inpatient care.
"Anytime that you can provide additional services to the citizens in Knoxville and Knox County, it's a good thing. There are times when someone that really needs that level of care, inpatient, stay to stabilize — they sometimes have to travel all the way to other counties," said Allen. "In terms of crisis work though, in addition to the mobile crisis units, we also have our crisis stabilization unit, which someone people can go to and stay up three to four days that don't need inpatient care. And we also have co-response. We have clinicians, behavioral health clinicians working directly with law enforcement that respond as first responders to crisis situations throughout the city."
The closest in-patient state-run facility is Moccasin Bend, in Chattanooga. Ben Harrington, the CEO of Mental Health Associates of East Tennessee, said transporting people from Knox County is costly.
"If we had a place to provide that care in Knoxville, then we wouldn't be spending, I think what the sheriff identified as something like $17,000 or $20,000 a month in transportation costs," said Harrington. "And so, that would be significant. And so, the need to provide that care closer to home is certainly there and validated by the data. But, you know, right now we're sending north of 300 or 400 people a year to Chattanooga when we could be serving them here if we had a place."
Harrington said while there are private mental health hospitals in the area, they aren't serving people who are uninsured and who may struggle to pay healthcare-related bills.
"They're not necessarily going to be the right place there, because they're not going to be compensated to do that. And so that's why the state needs to provide that opportunity to provide care," he said.
Harrington also said if a new hospital is built, it would make a huge impact on East Tennessee.
"It provides a place for homeless persons to be able to receive care closer to home, it provides a place for a person in the jail to be able to get assessed and return quickly to the jail," said Harrington. "Right now, those beds are kind of on a delay at other facilities because of the number of people needing those services, but they're on a waitlist, you know, and so it's harder. But, you know, there are significant numbers of persons without the means."
The hospital isn't confirmed to be built yet, but it has the backing of several East Tennessee lawmakers including Lt. Governor Randy McNally (R - Oak Ridge) as well as Senator Becky Massey (R - Knoxville) and Senator Richard Briggs (R - Knoxville).
The McNabb Center is set to launch its EMPATH unit this summer. The new unit will provide non-hospital facility-based short-term treatment services. Essentially, it helps people in psychiatric crisis. Instead of going to an emergency room, behavioral health staff will treat them.