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Burke County advances plan for 16‑bed facility‑based crisis center; Holland & Hamrick recommended for design work
Summary
County staff reported emergency department boarding and overdose data and recommended Holland & Hamrick for architecture and engineering services to upfit a purchased building into a 16‑bed crisis stabilization and detox facility; the board authorized contract negotiations.
Burke County health and behavioral‑health partners presented a proposal July 20 to convert a purchased building into a 16‑bed facility‑based crisis center intended to divert psychiatric and overdose patients from emergency departments.
Dr. Katie Samuels summarized needs‑assessment data showing more than 1,000 behavioral‑health and substance‑use ED visits in a year (860 psychiatric, ~200 overdose/adverse reaction), cumulative boarding hours and average ED stays quoted during the presentation. Staff said the county purchased a building on East Union Street (about 6,800 sq ft) and plans to expand to roughly 10,000–12,000 sq ft for the center. The RFQ process produced six A/E applicants; Holland & Hamrick scored highest and staff recommended negotiating A/E services with that firm within a $6.5 million budget. "We felt like Holland and Hamrick came through the strongest in this capacity... they have direct experience with facility‑based crisis development," Samuels said.
The board unanimously authorized the county manager to negotiate and execute an A/E agreement with Holland & Hamrick, subject to county attorney review. Samuels said the county would then select a provider to operate services inside the building; she stated the provider would manage staffing and operating costs while the county would own the facility.
