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Opening of behavioral health center will expand mental health services

Moultrie Observer - 2/2/2023

Feb. 1—MOULTRIE, Ga. — Community members from across the county gathered early Wednesday morning to commemorate the opening of the MoultrieColquitt County Behavioral Health Center.

The two-story center is located at 25 Second Ave. S.W. and was formerly the Southwest Georgia Bank building. Georgia Pines, the state-contracted mental health provider for the region, will now expand its mental health services in Moultrie while housed in the building.

Bringing more mental health services to the county has been a collaborative effort between the City of Moultrie, Georgia Pines, NAMI Moultrie — the local chapter of the National Alliance on Mental Illness — and other county entities.

Georgia Pines held an open house Wednesday morning. Community members were able to tour and view the major renovations of the long-awaited behavioral health facility.

Mayor William McIntosh opened the ceremony by sharing the timeline of the project.

"It started in November of 2019, and Lynn Wilson of NAMI asked the city and the county if we had any buildings because the facility on North Main Street had just gotten into a bad state of repair. They needed a new space," McIntosh told the large crowd.

Georgia Pines initially considered the previous Senior Center as a building option but decided to move forward with the current location. One year later in November 2020, the city began negotiations with the bank.

"The city got together with the bank and decided they would work something out. They agreed on a price contingent on our receiving a [Georgia Department of Community Affairs] grant. The council had already decided, however, because of the importance of this undertaking, whether or not we got the grant, we will find a way to buy this building for this purpose," he explained.

The Georgia Department of Community Affairs approved an approximately $700,000 grant in October 2021 after Bob Roberson's grant presentation assistance.

"During that grant presentation, Commissioner Christopher Nunn of the DCA remarked that this grant was the most creative grant request that DCA had ever received," McIntosh said.

The City of Moultrie purchased the building in the summer of 2022. The money also helped pay for renovations that brought the building up to current building codes.The city will lease the building to Georgia Pines for $1 per year for a total of 20 years, McIntosh announced at the end of his speech.

"This is a major asset for our community," McIntosh concluded. "We are proud of it and look forward to how it is going to be in conjunction with our police department to make services available that we've never had available before."

Robert Hurns, the CEO of Georgia Pines, followed McIntosh saying, "We are very excited to have our new building [and to] show you our new building. This is a giant step forward in the care of those in this area struggling with mental illness and substance abuse issues, but this could not have been possible without the organizations, agencies, leaders and individuals in this [community]."

The University of Georgia Archway Partnership Director Michelle Elliott presented the 2023 Community Engagement Award to Hurns for his impact and participation in bringing services to the community.

"Mr. Hurn worked collaboratively with Archway, the City of Moultrie, and the Moultrie Police Department to pave the way for award-winning mental health resources to enhance the quality of life in the community," she said.

Lynn Wilson, the president of NAMI Moultrie, awarded community leaders for their help with the project. The following community leaders received awards: Ben Marion, the former CEO of Turning Point; former state Rep. Sam Watson; Charles "Chas" Cannon, the Colquitt County administrator; Moultrie Police Chief Sean Ladson; Sarah Adams, UGA Archway Partnership professional; and Pete Dillard, the Moultrie city manager. (Watson and Cannon recently won election as the area's state senator and representative, respectively, but their contribution to the opening of the behavioral health center came in their previous positions.)

Ladson, Julio Ginel, a Georgia Pines clinical co-responder, and Lt. Tonero Bender were recognized for working as mental health partners with Georgia Pines. Ginel and Bender spearhead the MPD's Co-responder Team that helps residents who need mental health assistance rather than a traditional police response.

The UGA Archway Partnership received national recognition Nov. 6 when the Association of Public and Land-grant Universities presented its C. Peter Magrath award for Community Engagement. Archway previously received the regional 2022 W.K. Kellogg Foundation Community Engagement Scholarship award for the co-responder partnership.

City Manager Pete Dillard said, "What is really wonderful is it is right across from our police station, which works hand in glove with Georgia Pines."

Bender told The Observer the team is a good resource for the community and is looking forward to working more with the center.

The Moultrie-Colquitt County Behavioral Health will provide traditional outpatient services, case management, skill-building groups, substance abuse services, crisis work and individual, group and family therapy services. The facility will be equipped with a doctor and nurse who will be able to prescribe medications if necessary, Hurns said after the ceremony.

He also mentioned Georgia Pines will have an intellectual and developmental disabilities residential office in the center.

The center staff will start moving into the building this week, Hurns said, and hope to have its first working day on Friday, Feb. 3.

For more information about Georgia Pines, please contact their office at (229) 891-7375.

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(c)2023 The Moultrie Observer (Moultrie, Ga.)

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