Bethany Legacy Foundation and LifeSpring Health Systems told the Jefferson County Board of Commissioners on Aug. 31 that the county needs expanded behavioral-health services, including a combined outpatient clinic and a 24-hour crisis receiving and stabilization service, with the ability to add residential beds if demand warrants. Dora, CEO of Bethany Legacy Foundation, said the groups seek continued support through opioid settlement funds and other county assistance and indicated Bethany is exploring land options to help site a facility.

The request followed the presentation of a community needs assessment prepared for LifeSpring. "Mental health and substance use is 1 of the biggest problems in Jefferson County," Dora said. LifeSpring CEO Beth Keeney summarized the provider network and data: "LifeSpring is a health system that serves 11 counties... We see, about 20,000 patients a year." Keeney and LifeSpring staff emphasized gaps in local access to crisis care and integrated primary care.

The nut graf: The providers recommended establishing a federally qualified health center (FQHC)-style community health center offering primary care and behavioral health regardless of ability to pay, plus a crisis receiving and stabilization service that provides short-term observation and linkage to ongoing care. Commissioners were asked to consider funding from opioid-settlement dollars and to continue planning support so a local facility can be developed.

LifeSpring's population-health lead and epidemiologist who prepared the assessment noted data limitations: some overdose counts are small and therefore statistically unstable; patient survey results were not from a randomized sample. Still, the assessment highlighted persistent poverty (12.1 percent of residents below the federal poverty line) and food insecurity (14 percent), higher-than-average poor-mental-health days, elevated suicide rates, and rising methamphetamine and opioid use with fentanyl contamination increasing overdose lethality.

Lauren Pearman, introduced as an executive clinician and licensed clinical social worker specializing in substance-use disorder, described how a crisis receiving and stabilization program operates: "Crisis stabilization...is a program that we've operated at LifeSpring since 2023 in Jeffersonville... The intention of it is to provide 24/7 low-barrier access to somebody who is experiencing a mental health or SUD related crisis." She said the unit offers peer recovery coaches and therapists who assess safety, provide basic needs (food, shower, rest) and slow decision-making so people can make an informed choice about treatment rather than being rushed into a single option.

Speakers emphasized flexibility: LifeSpring recommended starting with outpatient behavioral-health and primary-care services combined with 24-hour crisis stabilization and the ability to "flex up" to residential beds if community need or data indicate that is required. Commissioner comments in the meeting showed support for residential treatment options but did not record any formal vote or commitment of county funding during the session.

Ending: LifeSpring and Bethany Legacy Foundation left copies of the community needs assessment with the commissioners and requested further discussion of funding sources, including opioid-settlement funds. No formal county funding decision was made at the Aug. 31 meeting; staff and commissioners signaled willingness to continue the conversation.