MEMPHIS, Tenn. – A new facility in Memphis is aiming to change where families turn when a child is experiencing a mental health crisis.
On Tuesday, leaders cut the ribbon on the Alliance Healthcare Services Children & Youth Wellness Center.
It’s the first dedicated 24/7 walk-in pediatric behavioral health crisis center in Memphis and West Tennessee.
The new Alliance Healthcare Services facility was designed specifically for children and teens in crisis, with quiet therapy rooms, calming spaces filled with natural light and even an open air basketball court.
Leaders say the goal was to create an environment that feels safe and welcoming instead of intimidating.
But behind the bright colors and open spaces, leaders say the need for services like this is very real.
“Today, our dreams became a reality,” said Mark Billingsley, executive director of the Alliance Foundation. “We are now going to be offering 24 hours a day, seven days a week care for children from 4 to 17 who might be suffering a mental health crisis or a substance abuse issue.”
Leaders say many families in West Tennessee previously had few options outside of emergency rooms when a child was in crisis.
The center will provide crisis assessments, individual and family therapy, structured programming and connections to community resources after children leave.
“Locally and nationally, we’re seeing increased mental and behavioral health needs in our community,” said Dr. Mallory Mitchell, children’s medical director for Alliance Healthcare Services. “And at the same time, it can be really difficult for children and families to have access to care.”
Leaders say the center was also designed to help address trauma while reducing the fear and stigma many families feel around mental health care.
“We have a lot of young children in Memphis that are suffering from trauma,” Billingsley said. “So that’s one of the things we will be addressing.”
Doctors say early intervention can make a major difference for children struggling with mental health challenges.
“We know that early intervention can really change the trajectory of a child’s life,” Mitchell said.
Leaders say access is also a major part of the mission. They say no child will be turned away based on insurance or a family’s ability to pay.
The Children and Youth Wellness Center officially opens to the community on June 1.
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