Mental Health

Facing High Demand, West Side Crisis Support Center Seeks Employees

The non-traditional crisis support center is supposed to operate 24/7 but lack of staff is preventing this critical need.

A non-traditional mental health center is in critical need of employees to help the public, specifically on the west side of Chicago.

In November, NBC 5 was there for the ribbon cutting of the Renaissance Living Room, located at 4835 West Chicago Avenue in the city’s Austin neighborhood.

The facility is designed to look more like a home than a doctor’s office, offering a “more comfortable” environment during a mental health emergency.

The center received an $850,000 grant from the state to open the location and offer free mental health services to the community.

Executive Director Michael Banghart says there have been around 1,200 visits in 9 months, and that includes guests of all ages.

“We have days where we have turn people away because we already have 15 or 20 people here,” said Banghart. “The need is there. The community has been looking for mental health support for a while.”

A few weeks ago, staff members saved a man’s life outside the center during an overdose. The center provides free Narcan, a overdose reversal medicine, through a vending machine. Staff members were able to administer the Narcan and conduct CPR on the individual until EMTs arrived.

The center is supposed to run 24/7, staffed with specialists who have living experience with mental health and substance abuse, but staffing challenges are preventing the facility from operating during overnight hours.

The Renaissance Living Room is looking to fill at least three positions with individuals from the Austin community, and more information can be found on the group's website.

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