Riverbend Community Mental Health is set to open a 12-bed facility in Concord, providing much-needed housing and onsite care for adults dealing with acute mental health challenges.
Located at 278 Pleasant St., the facility will offer 24/7 staffing, nursing support, meal planning, laundry, medication monitoring and daily activities designed to support individuals with Severe Persistent Mental Illnesses (SPMI).
Tracy Byers, director of residential services at Riverbend, said the facility will be providing the highest level of care available for the aging population with severe mental illness.
“Similar to our other three residential facilities, we want residents to feel comfortable and safe, with a sense of community and with the clinical care and support on-site that meets their specific needs,” said Byers.
At the new property set to open by the end of the year, Riverbend will provide specialized care for residents facing serious mental health needs and mobility challenges. Some current Riverbend clients who need mobility assistance and are part of other residential programs will also transition to this facility.
Riverbend already operates three residential facilities — Fayette House, Twitchell House and Mill House — that provide affordable, supportive housing for clients with diverse care needs.
Opening of this facility addresses a critical gap in the state’s mental health infrastructure.
Finding transitional housing for individuals leaving psychiatric inpatient facilities, such as New Hampshire Hospital, has been an ongoing challenge.
Many patients are medically stable but remain stuck in the system due to a severe shortage of appropriate housing options.
At New Hampshire Hospital alone, around 70 patients on average are left in limbo, unable to be discharged because of the lack of suitable step-down facilities or transitional housing.
Lori Weaver, commissioner of the state Department of Health and Human Services, praised Riverbend’s leadership in providing these housing opportunities.
“Riverbend’s focus on creating housing opportunities is setting a standard for the rest of the state,” said Weaver in a press release.
“DHHS continues to work with our stakeholder partners to address Emergency Department boarding, it is encouraging to see this investment in community-based supports that meet the needs of the people we collectively serve.”
The Pleasant Street location once served as Riverbend’s administrative offices, housing much of the senior leadership team and key staff. With the state’s grant, the building has been converted from an office space into a residential property.
The funding also enabled Riverbend to purchase a van, essential for transporting residents to appointments, as well as for personal errands and shopping.
“When we at Riverbend made the strategic decision to vacate this location for our downtown office space, it was never a question for us that we would seek to maximize the 278 property and find a way to further serve the needs of those living with mental health challenges,” said Lisa Madden, president and CEO of Riverbend Community Mental Health.
— SRUTHI GOPALAKRISHNAN/CONCORD MONITOR
