Throughout the last several years, the Western New York community has been hurled from one tragic event into another.
These relentless hardships have widened disparities and compounded barriers to accessing crucial resources. Of particular concern are the long-lasting negative impacts these experiences will have upon community members’ mental health.
All too often, people facing a mental health crisis encounter long hospital wait times and may subsequently receive medical care that relies upon a one-size-fits-all approach. Worse yet, 86% of those that seek hospital care for their mental health concerns do not meet the required admissions criteria and are therefore turned away, to the detriment of their well-being.
In recognition of the complexities involved in addressing mental health distress, Recovery Options Made Easy (ROME) applies trauma-informed strategies that are focused on an individual’s needs, with the goals of de-escalating a mental health crisis, as well as aiding in lifelong recovery.
ROME is a not-for-profit organization that provides comprehensive mental health services across Western New York and the Finger Lakes Region. Those leading ROME’s charge are mental health peers who, as a result of their own lived experiences, are able to understand and advocate for individuals seeking mental health support.
Having achieved a 95% hospital diversion rate through its Respite Programs, ROME is undoubtedly an organization well-suited to be at the forefront of a groundbreaking project that will convene various community resources and crisis supports under one roof.
Located at 111 Maple Street in East Buffalo’s Fruit Belt Neighborhood, the Kirsten Vincent Respite and Recovery Center (named in dedication to Dr. Kirsten Vincent, who had been serving as ROME’s CEO until her passing) will open to the public beginning this April.
“Recovery Options believes that it is vitally important for all Western New Yorkers to have access to high quality crisis support and hospital diversion services in their communities. We are committed to providing solutions to the current mental health crisis that embrace voluntary, community-based service models like the Kirsten Vincent Respite and Recovery Center”, said Shannon Higbee, ROME CEO.
This facility is a first-of-its-kind for New York State and will expand ROME’s work in shifting the mental health care model from hospitalization to person-centered crisis stabilization and recovery. In doing so, the burden of patient inundation that hospital systems currently face will also be lessened. Moreover, the evidence-based models applied at the Kirsten Vincent Respite and Recovery Center will result in more effective and cost-efficient outcomes when compared to hospital care.
Working in partnership with Spectrum Health and Human Services, as well as Western New York Independent Living, the Recovery and Respite Center will offer a walk-in friendly renewal center, short-term and intensive crisis respites (each providing up to a 28-day stay, with 24/7 residential support), and urgent care services.
The Kirsten Vincent Respite and Recovery Center will play an integral role in creating sustainable solutions for the lifetime treatment of mental health, both locally and at a systemic level. Yet, in tandem with the invaluable work that this center will provide, as Shannon Higbee has emphasized, there must also be large-scale “education and awareness surrounding voluntary crisis alternatives to hospitalization” so that everyone is aware of the full continuum of mental health supports that exist.
Having and sharing this knowledge are key steps involved in advocating for oneself as well as one’s neighbors in the journey of mental health recovery.