A property at 55 Granite Shed Lane in Montpelier that will be the future site of a new community mental health center. Photo by Shane M. Graber/VTDigger Multiple mental health organizations announced Monday they have partnered to create a new community mental health center in Montpelier that wil l combine different types of mental health services into a single location. The new center on 55 Granite Shed Lane will be a collaboration between Washington County Mental Health Services, University of Vermont Health and the Vermont Department of Mental Health. Its target opening date is summer 2027.  The goal is to allow Washington County residents to access every level of mental health care — from crisis help, to therapy, to intensive adult treatment — in a convenient single building, Kimberly Ead, director of communications for Washington County Mental Health Services, said via email. Along with direct mental health care, the organization also offers support for housing, employment and overall wellness.  “It’s creating a wrap around opportunity for folks to go to one place, rather than multiple places, to find what they’re looking for,” Ead said.  Sen. Anne Watson, D-Washington, said in a press release announcing the center that this project was “a huge step forward” in mental health services in the area.  “Services will be more effective and holistic when delivered from a common location,” she said.  The organization plans to close its former offices, located on Heaton Street. Downstreet Housing and Community Development plans to turn them into apartments, Ead said. The new center will not offer inpatient mental health care, although Washington County does have residential programs like supported apartment living. Central Vermont Medical Center closed its inpatient psychiatry unit last year, meaning that the closest inpatient psychiatry unit for most Washington County patients is in Burlington, according to the UVM Health website.  READ MORE Washington County Mental Health also plans to build out its Access Hub, an experimental facility opened on Berlin Street in 2023 to provide urgent care-like treatment for people with urgent mental health needs. The organization plans to integrate the concept into a new mental health urgent care at the site to provide better follow-up care, Ead said.  The new mental health center, a former granite shed, is located along the Montpelier Bike Path, close to a bus stop and Hunger Mountain Co-op. Beth Sightler, CEO of Washington County Mental Health Services, said in the press release that “being able to walk, bike, take the bus, or park and come into one place where care is coordinated changes the experience.” “This investment puts mental health and substance use care where it belongs; visible, accessible, and part of everyday community life,” Sightler said. “This is a place for our community. Every one of us will need help at some point in our lives.” Read the story on VTDigger here: New community mental health center planned for Montpelier. ...read more read less