Four non-profit mental health agencies are creating a partnership to form one of the largest community mental health centers in Kentucky.
LifeSkills, Inc. in Bowling Green; Communicare, Inc. in Elizabethtown; Four Rivers Behavioral Health in Paducah, and Pennyroyal Center in Hopkinsville will make up the new organization.
The organization will employ 1,700 people and offer programs and services in 35 counties, across western, central, and south-central Kentucky. Each agency has signed a letter of intent and will finalize the consolidation by July, 2023. A name for the newly created organization will be announced at a later date, according to a release from officials at each organization.
Jo Dan Beavers, a spokesperson for the newly announced organization, said the new agency will provide unified services for issues affecting rural communities in the state.
“If we can find a way to have the advantages and strengths that come with a larger organization but not lose sight of our local, regional presence and feel, then that’s really the best opportunity,” Beavers said. “It will allow us to keep best, localized services in some of these rural communities.”
According to the organization, crisis and mental health services will be available to anyone regardless of their ability to pay for medical expenses.
“We’re here to make sure services will be provided, so we’ll never turn anyone away based on their ability or lack of ability to pay,” Beavers said.
The agency will provide crisis services to anyone in trauma, mental health services, addiction treatment, support for intellectual or developmental disabilities, and support for substance use disorder.
“Our goal is community-based,” Beavers said. “Keeping folks safe and healthy in their communities and do our best to try to avoid hospitalization for some of these folks or institutionalization where we can.”
According to Beavers, the consolidation of the organizations will allow the agencies flexibility and security if changes to the healthcare industry occur.
“We also know that our industry is shifting,” Beavers said. “So we hope that these things will help us ensure we’re around to support these communities. We’ve been around, all of us, for almost 60 years now, so this will help make sure we're still around for the next 60 years.”
