Mental Health remodel complete

May 06--SHASTA COUNTY, California -- In the past, clients coming into the building that houses Shasta County's mental health, public authority and guardian, and In-Home Supportive Services had to peek around a hallway corner just to find the receptionist.

After that, a conversation about payment would follow and potentially be overheard by anyone in the waiting room.

But things are different now.

The lobby of the Breslauer Way building is reopened after a five-month remodel that aimed to increase patient comfort and calm while diminishing confusion and safety risks.

"We believe we can serve our clients better," said Shasta County Health and Human Services Agency Director Donnell Ewert.

About 100 people gathered outside the building for a ribbon-cutting ceremony on Tuesday afternoon, though the newly remodeled building has been open for a few weeks now.

The $1.5 million project was primarily paid for through the Mental Health Services Act, which taxes California millionaires an extra 1 percent to pay for certain mental wellness programs. Ewert said the county's MHSA money for this project had to be spent on either remodeling projects or information technology.

While having a new lobby might not seem like a pressing need, Ewert said quite a few clients told county employees the facility needed a new look and redesign.

Coming into a facility that looks modern and comforting might even impact someone's expectations of the type of treatment they'll get there, Ewert said.

"They're not in a very good state of mind (when they come in for treatment)," he said.

In addition to the aesthetic upgrades, Ewert said there are now locks on doors to some offices that were vulnerable before and the entrances have been consolidated into one to avoid confusion and safety risks.

Board of Supervisors Chairman Leonard Moty, a former Redding police chief, commended the effort to create a safer and more comfortable building.

"This building provides security and safety, but it's a warm and inviting area for people to get the services they need," he said.

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