Baton Rouge, La (March 27, 2020) — ​​RI International (the selected service provider for the Bridge Center for Hope) is seeking the services of a licensed general contractor with the best favorable competitive rates while providing all qualified businesses, including those that are owned by minorities, women, persons with disabilities and/ or small business enterprises an opportunity to do business with RI International. The Crisis Recovery Center is located at 3455 Florida Street, Baton Rouge, LA, where the project will take place.

Notice is hereby given that RI International will receive proposals for the furnishing of construction services, labor, and materials for the PROJECT entitled:

Bridge Center for Hope Project
ART 19051
3455 Florida Street, Baton Rouge, LA 70806

Beginning March 31^st, 2020, proposal documents may be obtained or provided electronically.

Interested bidders please visit the Bridge Center’s website at www.brbridge.org for instructions on how to obtain the RFP packet from RI International.

Baton Rouge, LA (October 22, 2019) –THE BRIDGE CENTER FOR HOPE, which will oversee East Baton Rouge’s new behavioral health crisis stabilization center, has selected Charlotte Claiborne as its executive director. Her first major task is to oversee opening of the center by RI International, an Arizona-based provider that was selected by the Bridge Center to run the first such facility in Louisiana.

“We had a strong slate of candidates who demonstrated their dedication to helping people suffering a crisis,” said Kathy Kliebert, chair of The Bridge Center. “We picked Charlotte because her mix of business and health care skills fit our need to not only start a new service, but to make sure it grows and matches the needs of people with mental illness and substance abuse challenges.”

In her previous job, Claiborne was director of Louisiana Behavioral Health Agency, where she was charged with expanding the organization into new areas of Louisiana. She worked for 17 years at Entergy, where she managed multi-million-dollar contracts, was a department representative of a health program that encouraged physical and mental health among employees, and served as budget analyst and manager on several special projects.

“My goal is to create a model facility that will address the gap in behavioral health and substance abuse services,” Claiborne said. “With the facility, we’ll help thousands of our neighbors who have nowhere else to turn when they are suffering in a crisis. Bridge will also work to reduce the stigma of mental illness in our parish.”

Earlier this year, the Bridge Center, a nonprofit, was chosen by the Metro Council to open the behavioral health crisis center. Funded by a $6 million tax approved in December, the 30-bed center will serve up to 5,000 people in crisis annually, stabilizing and connecting them with therapies. Bridge Center and RI International, the direct provider, are searching for a location with a goal of opening the center in the Spring of 2020.

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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.

Media contact:
Kathy Kliebert
Chair of The Bridge Center for Hope
985-791-7637
kathykliebert@gmail.com

The Bridge Center for Hope contact:
info@brbridge.org

Baton Rouge, La (August 19, 2019) — ​​THE BRIDGE CENTER FOR HOPE has today selected RI International from among competitive proposals to offer crisis services at a behavioral health stabilization center for East Baton Rouge Parish.

“The Bridge Center Board is excited to welcome RI International as a partner in this community,” said Kathy Kliebert, Bridge Center board chair. “Their selection today marks another important milestone in bringing these critical services to the Baton Rouge community.”

In December 2018, Baton Rouge voters approved a tax that will generate $6 million annually for the treatment center. They were responding to a gap in behavioral health services: police officers who encounter people in crisis have two bad options, jail or emergency rooms. When the center opens, people in crisis can be diverted to the center for treatment.

In spring, the Metro Council entered into a cooperative endeavor agreement with the Bridge Center to oversee the opening and operations of the crisis center. The Bridge Center has not chosen a location for the crisis center.

In June, the Bridge Center issued a Solicitation of Proposals that outlined the requirements for interested providers and the services they must deliver if they win the contract. The deadline for applying was August 1, after a short extension due to Hurricane Barry, and two firms responded. The Board heard in-person presentations from each and utilized an evaluation matrix as outlined in the Solicitation of Proposals to make a recommendation as to which firm to select.

The SOP calls for a five-year contract with an option to extend the agreement for two years under the original terms. In return, the operator must set up, manage and run the crisis center, offering mobile assessment teams, sobering and detox beds, and respite services.

“We are very excited to join with the Bridge Center Board in Baton Rouge to provide behavioral health crisis stabilization services,” said Jamie Sellar with RI International. “We have been successfully providing these services around the country and are enthusiastic about the support from the greater Baton Rouge community to provide these critical services.”

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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.

Media contact:
Kathy Kliebert
Chair of The Bridge Center for Hope
985-791-7637
kathykliebert@gmail.com

The Bridge Center for Hope contact:
info@brbridge.org