Kansas City’s mayor has some new ideas for addressing his city’s mental health needs after a visit to Springfield on Friday.
Quinton Lucas toured Burrell Behavioral Crisis Center with Springfield Mayor Ken McClure.
Lucas said after the tour, "I like that we're getting to root causes here. What we are seeing at Burrell. What we are seeing in the collabration of the people of Springfield and Greene County and mental health services and longterm investment is the sort of thing that makes a difference, as (Mayor McClure) noted, not just in Springfield, Greene County and southwest Missouri, it makes a difference in Kansas City. It makes a difference in St. Louis."
Lucas was interested in learning more about the collaboration between the Springfield Police Department and Burrell Behavioral Health, specifically the new Rapid Access Treatment Unit, according to Springfield city officials.
The center is a crisis point for adults 18 and up who need immediate psychiatric care, treatment for opioid abuse or intake for behavioral health services. It’s a partnership between Burrell and local county and city officials.
