Monday, March 31, 2014

Rainbow Services Inc. crisis stabilization center to open April 7

By THERESE HORVAT

The new Rainbow Services, Inc. crisis stabilization center will open Monday, April 7 at 8 a.m. Located in the former Rainbow Mental Health Facility, 2205 West 36th Ave., Kansas City, Kan., the center will provide services for persons experiencing mental health or substance abuse crises in Johnson and Wyandotte Counties.

Sharon Sawyer, RN, MHA, MBA, Rainbow Services executive director, explains that the 24-hour service will offer assessment/triage; crisis observation; a sobering unit; and a short-term crisis stabilization unit.

“Our goals are to serve as a resource to individuals, families and law enforcement, and to prevent unnecessary hospitalization or incarceration of persons who can benefit from community-based resources,” she says.

Rainbow Services is a subsidiary of Wyandot Center, the designated community mental health center for Wyandotte County. Collaborating in this initiative are Johnson County Mental Health Center, Heartland Regional Alcohol and Drug Assessment Center and Kansas Department for Aging and Disability Services.

Sawyer says that the opening, originally projected for April 1, has been postponed to Monday, April 7 to accommodate renovations, hiring staff and training.

Telephone number of the new service is 913-956-5620.