The Board of County Commissioners (BOCC) unanimously approved a federal grant recipient agreement with Lifestream Behavioral Center, Inc. The county was awarded $2 million in federal funds that will be used specifically to construct the $14 million facility. summer.
The federal funding comes from money given to states and counties through the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) after the coronavirus pandemic.
Citrus County and the Department of Children and Families will each contribute $2 million, with the remainder set aside by Lifestream’s board of directors, said Rick Hankey, Lifestream’s president and CEO. Lifestream will own the facility.
The $2 million cost to the county is a one-time payment, with Lifestream covering ongoing costs.
The new facility will be built in Lecanto and will accept juveniles and adults with generally admitted psychiatric emergencies under the Baker Act. It serves as a single drop-off point for law enforcement to contact people in crisis. We also provide beds for home use.
The facility will have psychiatrists for both adults and juveniles. The facility will also have an on-site pharmacy, which will provide care coordination services to help patients transition after hospitalization, as well as additional services as needed.
The 30,000 square foot facility will house 60 beds, 40 for acute care and 20 for residential. “We are committed to working with Hernando County to make these beds available to our residents,” Hankey said. [the county]” Bed designation is flexible, allowing facilities to swap beds between adolescent and adult patients while maintaining group separation.
Lifestream is a designated Baker Act Receiving Facility and cannot deny services to individuals in need.
Lifestream is responsible for ensuring that beds are available for people admitted under the Baker Act. If there are no beds available, patients may be transferred to a 98-bed facility in Lake County. Hankey explained that Lifestream provides transportation between facilities. [to parents] “Please come pick up the child.”
Hankey added that in addition to the facilities discussed, Lifestream recently received funding for a separate residential dementia care facility for symptomatic individuals permitted under the Baker Act.
The Lifestream Behavioral Center is expected to be completed within the next two years. However, Hankey said construction costs and changes in conditions could extend the construction period.
