Legislators asking for help in getting Crisis Center back running

Funding for the Southeastern Center for Mental Health will be a topic of discussion at tonight’s New Hanover County commissioners meeting.

Last year, Southeastern Health Care’s 75 agencies spent $12 million for mental health services – about $4 million over budget.

This year, the budget is estimated at $8.3 million.

To help supplement that, Southeastern Center director Art Costantini is asking for $5 million back from the county. That money is intended for a new office off Medical Center Drive.

County Commissioner Nancy Pritchett hopes to table the discussion, until southeastern officials can come up with a financial management plan.

Meantime one of the center’s organizations, the Wilmington Crisis Station, is a focus of state lawmakers.

Last week, representative Carolyn Justice and a number of fellow legislators wrote a letter, asking for help in getting the crisis station back up and running.

“We want to see these services re-instated. We want this crisis station situation settled. We want the board to know its authority. And, we want people who are dealing with mental health issues to feel safe in these three counties that they can go get the help they need,” said Justice.

Representative Justice says she and her fellow legislators wrote the letter because constituents are worried the care they need is either not available or will go away.

The Crisis Station was shut-down after questions about the care received there.