SPOKANE, Wash. — The long wait is finally over for the opening of MultiCare's new behavioral health center in Hillyard.
"This community represents how vital behavioral health is," said Samantha Clark, the assistant vice president of strategy for MultiCare.
Clark says there was a specific reason why the newest health center was brought to Hillyard.
"Showing the Hillyard community that they're important and their voices heard, and that they also deserve local access to high quality behavioral health services for adults, kids and older adults," Clark said.
The 8,000 square foot facility will add 20 new mental health care providers to the neighborhood. The hope is that it will help remove one barrier for people receiving care.
Clark said, "This clinic is vital to helping reduce stigma in our communities by co-locating behavioral health across from a school and a community campus where people can see mental health as a part of their day."
The health center used to hold the old Hillyard public library. The new library was moved across the street.
Clark said, "We've redesigned it. And so now it has 21 offices for individual or smaller family therapy, three larger offices for for family or group therapy, and then one large community classroom for trainings."
The process to transform the building began in August 2019. The project was made possible by outside organizations including the Multicare foundation and Northeast Community Center Association. Mayor Nadine Woodward said it wouldn't have been possible without these partnerships.
"We are hopeful that this will become a model for future collaboration of how community responds to collaboratively to a need," Clark said.
Clark was one of the main advocates for bringing the health center to the Hillyard community.
"It's pretty devastating when behavioral health isn't accessed," Clark said.
She knows it'll make a difference in people's lives.
"It's a dream come true to be opening this clinic to know that every person who walks onto the center is just a few steps away for behavioral health services," she said.
Starting on Oct. 4, the center will open for outpatient services for adolescents and adults.
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