Sanford Health of Bemidji celebrated the opening of a new crisis center on Thursday.

Being the first inpatient behavioral health crisis center in northwest Minnesota, Sanford Health aims to bring these important resources not only to their patients, but families as well.

Over the past few years, mental health as become a point of conversation among the medical community. With the new 988 Suicide & Crisis Hotline becoming an accessible tool for people struggling through a mental health crisis, some communities are taking the same initiative to make these resources local.

Sanford Health partnered with Beltrami County and other donors to build a new crisis center. This resource will be used by a wide range of people in the community.

The 12,000-square-foot facility provides different types of treatment methods such as spiritually and culturally sensitive therapy, low stimulation and negative pressure rooms, and even emergency psychiatric assessment treatment and healing (emPATH).

The crisis center is outfitted to provide optimal care for patients. This includes safety measures such as no actual glass mirrors or locking doors on the inside of rooms.

The crisis center will officially open in mid-October and start to accept clients soon after. The center will be open 24/7.

By — Mary Balstad