WACO, Texas (FOX 44/KWKT) — The Imperial Drive Health Campus serves as a Diversion Center, assisting as a new-and-improved hub to develop resources for those facing mental health concerns.

With the DePaul Center closing at the beginning of December, Deputy CEO Ryan Adams says this space will serve those patients even more.

“We’ve not been able to serve the clients to the capacity that we will be able to have community partners over here. We’re looking for a better experience for law enforcement, for them to get back on the streets earlier. With all the work that’s gone into this with our community partners, we couldn’t be prouder,” says Adams.

The HBN Clinic is partnered with various groups in the community to help address the mental health care of families, neighbors and peers. Partners like the Waco Police Department frequently respond to mental health crises.

“Law enforcement identifies somebody that’s experiencing a mental health crisis a lot of times. The jail or arrest is not the proper disposition for them, though, so they could bring them here to the facility, where we have a triage center where they can see a psychiatrist and figure out what level of care this person needs,” shares Adams.

Waco Family Medicine also has a clinic inside the Diversion Center for primary care needs.

Above all things, the Heart of Texas Behavioral Health Network is ready to do the work to reverse the gap in mental health that COVID-19 left.

“It takes the spirit of hospitality to host people who are in crisis, and to create a safe space for them, and to help them bridge that crisis to a place of stability,” says Waco Family Medicine CEO Jackson Griggs.

Leaders at Thursday’s ribbon cutting are excited to continue to do work that addresses mental health.