Meridian Behavioral Healthcare is leading the effort to build a central receiving facility for four mental healthcare facilities in Gainesville, Fla., according to an Aug. 10 report from Main St Daily News.
The central receiving facility is meant to provide one centralized location for mental health patients to come voluntarily or through mandatory submissions by law enforcement. The goal is to avoid patients in crisis being bounced around to different facilities that may be full or not where their usual provider works.
The three other participating providers are UF Health Vista, HCA Florida North Florida Hospital, and the VA Medical Center.
HIPAA regulations prohibit Meridian clinicians from calling other mental health providers in Gainesville to ask about a patient's past visits, medications or physicians. The central location will allow each patient to be assessed and placed in the optimal center, while acknowledging past treatment and current capacity.
The project began with a $500,000 investment from Alachua County and the city of Gainesville, and the Florida Legislature approved over $1 million in May for annual operations. The central receiving center will be built onto Meridian's existing crisis stabilization unit at its main campus and is expected to be completed in summer 2024.