Texas has never been shy about building big things to meet big needs — highways, stadiums, hospitals. But in Tarrant County, one of the fastest-growing areas in the state, a new project is less about concrete and steel than it is about compassion. On Sept. 17, JPS Health Network will open its new Psychiatric Emergency Center (PEC) at 1652 May Street, designed to meet a mental health crisis that has been years in the making.
Replacing a cramped unit on the tenth floor of the main hospital, the free-standing PEC was built specifically for people in psychiatric distress, according to a release. The goal is to expand access, ease strain on families and first responders, and create a space that treats mental health emergencies with the same urgency — and dignity — as physical ones.
“With the opening of the new Psychiatric Emergency Center, we’re expanding access to care in a way that is meeting the needs of our growing community,” said Karen Duncan, M.D., president and CEO of JPS Health Network. “This center ensures that no matter the circumstance, individuals and families can come to JPS and be supported by experts who are ready to respond around the clock.”…