A new $1.4 million mental health and substance abuse center will be opening soon in Mt. Orab,
Talbert House is building the new facility on U.S. 68 just north of S.R. 32. It will be located across from Child Focus in the west side of the highway.
It is expected to open in May with 15 staff members and expanded services.
“It’s a great feeling. With all of the struggles everybody has had over the past year with COVID, everybody is euphoric that something good can happen in a time of challenges and struggles,” said Talbert House CEO Neil Tilow.
The new center will offer professional integrated healthcare services by providing access to behavioral health treatment and primary care in one convenient location.
The integration will alleviate the stress patients experience while looking for proper health care and allow providers across each sector to connect, communicate and collaborate treatment plans to deliver the highest levels of care.
The project was made possible through the support of Brown County Board of Mental Health & Addiction Services and the Ohio Department of Mental Health and Addiction Services.
“Talbert House came out to Brown County about 12 years ago at a site in Georgetown and we have a site in Mt. Orab as well. What’s happened is that we are out of space as the need for our services has grown,” Tilow said.
“We made the decision to try to build a new state of the art building with plenty of parking and an array of services under one roof, including primary care.”
Tilow said that having a medical doctor available to patients as well as other services can make sure that clients are getting all the help they need.
“The idea of having an integrated health care approach is at the core of what we wanted to do. As clients come in, we can do some primary care work with them to make sure their care is coordinated.”
Tilow said that mental health problems can take a physical toll as well.
“Folks with behavioral health problems typically live about 30 years less than the average person. Part of the reason for that is that they don’t take care of themselves while they are dealing with mental health or substance abuse issues.”
The new building will be open to the public as soon as construction is complete and as COVID restrictions are lifted.