Turning Point Behavioral Health Care Center’s new Living Room hosted an open house on Oct. 26 to celebrate its first month of operation and gain publicity. Located at 311 Elmwood Ave., the branch showcased its quarters and a mobile mental health support center.
Turning Point, a Skokie-based organization that provides mental health crisis support, opened its Evanston location on Oct. 1. Its general living room area and three respite rooms are open daily from noon to 8 p.m. to provide safe and private spaces for community members to receive support during mental health crises.
“This open house is meant to have the community just be aware that we’re here, and get to know a little bit more about the services we offer and how we can benefit the community,” said Living Room Director Jessica Hernandez, who oversees Turning Point’s Evanston, Skokie and mobile sites.
Among the visitors, two librarians from the Skokie Public Library and two retired social workers attended the open house.
During the event, a bright orange Mobile Living Room sat behind the stationary location for display. Inside, two beds sit at the back of its RV-style support center. In the future, the Mobile Living Room will be used for community outreach at places such as the Skokie Public Library.
Not many guests have used the services within its first month of operation, according to Hernandez. She added that among the location’s first visitors were parents asking for resources for their children.
“It has been a slow process, but it will take some time to pick up,” Hernandez said. “The community just needs to know that we’re open and that we’re available and that we’re here to provide support to our guests.”
Business manager Rayna Trayanova said she hopes the open house will bring attention to the mobile space, which launched with the Evanston Living Room a month ago.
“We will be not only providing services in-house, but the idea is to provide services outside in the community, in this Mobile Living Room,” Trayanova said.
The Evanston location partners with PEER Services and Impact Behavioral Health Partners to provide substance abuse support and help with job applications. This combination of services creates what Chief Clinical Officer Martina Cortez described as “an integrated care model.”
Hernandez said she hopes visitors walk away from the open house knowing that someone will “always” be available to help. Turning Point offers access to mental health crisis support outside of the Evanston Living Room’s regular hours. The Skokie location provides similar services 24 hours a day.
For now, the Living Room’s staff is calling attention to Turning Point’s Evanston and mobile expansions.
“It’s been quiet, but the team that we have here is so excited about getting the word out,” Cortez said. “They have gone places and spread flyers and done everything they can to make sure that people know that we’re here. They’re really excited and proud to be the first team here, and it’s been really fun working with them.”
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