Serenity Behavioral Health Systems introducing a 40-bed facility

AUGUSTA, Ga. (WJBF) – Serenity Behavioral Health Systems is expanding, right here in Augusta. With plans for a new facility that's more than double the capacity of its current 16-bed facility on Mike Padgett Highway.

That new 40-bed behavioral health facility will be built right where I'm standing. A chance for those with behavioral challenges to get the help they deserve.

Serenity Behavioral Health leaders say the need for more resources in the Augusta area is great.

"Basically, an upgrade on the CSU– crisis stabilization unit– we have in place, and it just enables us to keep people from having to go on to hospitals. It gives a middle type of service that– people might get rushed to an ER or something– they're not equipped to deal with that at a hospital ER...," Serenity Behavioral Health Systems CEO Chuck Williamson said.

The new facility will serve people in Augusta and beyond. A total of seven counties within the CSRA will have access to the resources provided.

"We recently did a bed study looking at how many crisis center beds that we needed, here in Georgia, and we identified that we needed eight new crisis centers across Georgia, over the next decade...," Georgia Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Disabilities Commissioner Kevin Tanner said.

"Everybody is effected by something– it's not a matter of if something happens, it's a matter of when something happens, and when that something happens, we need somewhere to go to be able to address the issues and circumstances that we're dealing with," peer worker Troy Curry said.

Georgia Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Disabilities Commissioner shares how this can be a preventable step for some.

"So, someone can come in, they may have diabetes– they may have something and they need mental health services– but they also just need some regulation on their physical health and they'll be able to receive all of that at this facility..."

Troy Curry is a former patient who has benefitted from the services. Now he helps others.

"Peer support is merely seeing a person down in a hole, looking down in the hole, jumping down in the hole with that person and showing that person how to get out of that hole..."

In the meantime, the current facility will remain open, and the 9-8-8-helpline is always available to you, should you need it.