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New facility will help address lack of mental health services

The Rapid City Journal - 3/22/2017

The new Pennington County Health Facility will be a major step in addressing the lack of services for those suffering from mental health issues, the director of Pennington County Health and Human Services Department said.

"We will have qualified mental health staff that will work with individuals to make sure they get the help they need," Barry Tice said Tuesday at a county commission meeting.

The facility is scheduled to open in March 2018 in the former National American University building. The $14 million project began last year after the county purchased the property, which is undergoing a renovation and will house several agencies that are currently located in different buildings around town.

Once it's finished, the building will house a detox facility, sobering program, crisis care center and other agencies covered by the county health and human services, such as economic assistance and veterans services.

"Having all of these under one roof will help meet the needs of the community and the needs of the individuals," Tice said.

HHS offers case management and social services so "individuals get the right services at the right time," he added. Tice said the facility will be a true "city, county and community partnership."

Tice's comments were part of an update that he and Pennington County Sheriff Kevin Thom gave to county commissioners on the creation of the new West River Mental Health Alliance, which is being led by the sheriff's office, Rapid City Regional Hospital and the Rapid City Police Department.

It seeks to mitigate the lack of services available for people suffering from mental health or substance abuse issues.

"We feel adamant that we shouldn't criminalize behavioral health," Thom said.

Their first meeting is scheduled for today. Thom said the different groups in the alliance share the common goal of finding "a positive path forward."

County Commissioner Mark DiSanto said the new health facility will "take a tremendous burden off" Rapid City Regional's emergency room.

In other news, the zoning applications for the proposed asphalt plant that were denied by the Pennington County Planning Commission last week were given a continuance until the next commissioners meeting on April 1.

Tom Lien, owner of Western Construction, Inc., the company that would build and operate the proposed asphalt plant, said he wanted to have more time to address the concerns of the neighbors, landowners and soccer supporters.

County commissioners also denied a request from the Highway Department to purchase two 2017 motorgraders for $294,701 each.