Baton Rouge, La (February 19, 2024) — THE BRIDGE CENTER FOR HOPE, Louisiana’s first crisis receiving center, recently celebrated its third anniversary providing essential services to East Baton Rouge Parish residents experiencing a mental health or substance use crisis.
One-fifth of adults suffer from a mental disorder in the United States, and the number of citizens in our community requiring mental health and substance use treatment services has drastically increased over the years while the number of qualified providers is steadily on the decline.
“Mental health crises come in different forms and can affect anyone. Many circumstances can lead to a mental health crisis, which may cause a person to feel uneasy to the point where they may harm themselves or others or be unable to care for themselves,” says Executive Director Charlotte Claiborne. “That’s why we’re here to help.”
The Bridge Center was created to help fill the void by providing quality crisis care for individuals and offering a place where the people of Baton Rouge can turn to during a behavioral health crisis.
The Bridge Center opened in February 2021, operating 24 hours a day, seven days a week, which allows people to access the facility no matter what they are going through or what time of day it is.
“People can access the facility any time, day or night. We have two entries, one for the general public through the lobby and one for law enforcement and first responders who can also bring individuals in crisis to the Bridge Center for admission rather than taking them to the parish prison or an overcrowded emergency room,” says Executive Director Charlotte Claiborne. “And with the Bridge Center’s response time of under five minutes, it allows them to return to their duty quickly and safely for our community. In essence, the Bridge Center is an emergency room for behavioral health crises.”
The Bridge Center has served 8,304 and admitted 7,895 individuals in its first three years of operations. The facility offers a range of crisis stabilization and crisis care services, including crisis observation, short-term psychiatric care, withdrawal management and detoxification, and a mobile crisis team.
“Our mission is to create the right pathways to treatment for people in crisis and to create an integrated continuum of care from prevention to rehabilitation so that individuals can get the help they need,” says Claiborne.
The Bridge Center accepts all forms of insurance and provides services to both insured individuals and those who are uninsured or underinsured 18 years and older.
The Bridge Center for Hope facility is located at 3455 Florida Blvd, across from the Baton Rouge General Mid City campus. For more information, call 225-256-6604 or visit https://brbridge.org.
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About The Bridge Center for Hope
The Bridge Center for Hope, an independent nonprofit, was formed to help East Baton Rouge Parish residents experiencing a mental health crisis and/or substance use challenge and ensure they receive quality care and attention. The Bridge Center for Hope’s mission is to provide pathways to treatment for people experiencing behavioral health issues and to link providers to create an integrated continuum of care from prevention to rehabilitation. For more information, visit brbridge.org.
About RI International
RI, founders of the Living Room model in 2002, deliver no-wrong-door crisis facility-based services across the country with rapid growth targeted. RI’s Campus of Connection model includes a strong peer workforce and surrounds the individual with support on their journey towards recovery. To learn more, visit riinternational.com.
Agency contact:
Ginny Engholm
For Good Content
225-329-6408
ginny@forgoodcontent.com
The Bridge Center for Hope contact:
info@brbridge.org