Renown Health today announced the opening of its new behavioral health and addiction institute with a ribbon-cutting ceremony. The center focuses on expanding community access to mental health and addiction services.
Mental health and addiction are two struggles well known in the Silver State, according to the hospital. For the third straight year, Nevada ranked 51st in the nation according to Mental Health America’s 2019 State of Mental Health Report.
Nevada overall has the highest prevalence of mental illness and substance use in addition to a shortage of care providers.
The institute is made possible by philanthropist Stacie Mathewson, who said she watched her own son struggle with addiction, ultimately dying of an overdose in 2013. She donated $6 million for the institute.
The hospital stated that the center will focus on:
- Expanding quality, timely, accessible mental health and addiction prevention, intervention/crisis care, and treatment available to the community.
- Providing early screening and intervention to youth who may be at risk for alcohol or substance abuse.
- Improving the training of healthcare professionals to address the needs of at-risk, mentally ill and addicted individuals, and support community awareness and education.
- Conducting research to identify the root causes of mental illness and addiction.
