Meridian Behavioral Healthcare will host a celebration Monday morning for the expansion of its patient receiving center.

The ceremony will start at 9 a.m. at 1541 SW Williston Rd. in Gainesville.

The newly designed and integrated facility will help law enforcement when they bring patients to Meridian’s center. Unless the patient specifically requests a certain provider, Meridian will be ready to assess and assign treatment at one of the four mental health systems.  

According to a press release, “The expansion of Meridian’s Crisis Stabilization Unit will include the Central Receiving Facility, which represents a bold step forward in redefining mental health crisis response. This expansion is driven by a steadfast commitment to providing timely, compassionate care to individuals experiencing mental health crises, while removing confusion associated with the admissions process.”

Meridian plans to finish construction in the next five to six months. The construction is an addition to the current Crisis Stabilization Unit. The expansion will include hiring additional staff such as nurses, a nurse manager, clinicians, emergency screeners, mental health technicians and a director of Central Receiving.   

Alachua County and the city of Gainesville both invested $500,000 for construction costs after the project was initiated. The total costs are estimated $2.5 million. The Florida Legislature approved more than $1 million for annual operations in May 2023.

 “It’s a coordinated admissions system in the mental health network,” said CEO of Meridian Behavioral Healthcare, Don Savioe. “This centralized patient processing unit is a huge win for patients as well as law enforcement as it removes all potential roadblocks associated with the admissions process, and it helps to get law enforcement back to protecting our communities much faster.”

For more information about the Central Receiving Facility and Meridian’s commitment to mental health and wellness, please visit mymeridianhealthcare.org