It was a wonderful meeting this week as RCSE had three new member inductions! Ed and Lois Engel and Ryan Martin joined the club - welcome to RCSE! President Laura Lane McKinnon reminded all members of the social and service projects that are upcoming over the next two months. Once all Rotary business items were discussed, Maureen McFadden spoke to the club about the Gateway Behavioral Health Crisis Center located on DeRenne Avenue.
The Gateway Behavioral Health Crisis Center services Chatham County and the surrounding areas by providing 24 hour walk in psychiatric emergency services 365 days a year. Their clients are the uninsured or low income. One in five people used to have mental problems and now it is one in four. The average length of stay at the center is 5-7 days. They triage the patient to see where they need help and them put them in touch with people who can help those needs. The center has partnered with the police department to create a Behavioral Health Unit. This unit is comprised of two police officers who have enhanced training along with a therapist at Gateway. When a call comes into 911 that sounds like a mental health call, the unit is then dispatched to help. Since September 2020, the unit has had contact with 600 individuals with only 18 of those resulting in an arrest. Maureen then told success stories about individuals who have been helped by Gateway. She says one important way to maintain good mental health is by having a job or a sense of responsibility.