After more than a year of planning and development, last month we proudly opened our new Crisis & Recovery Center – Dakota County to residents in partnership with Dakota County Social Services. This 16-bed building, located in West St. Paul, features 15,000 square feet of inviting space for clients experiencing mental health crises and illness.
“The facility was designed so new clients will be welcomed and greeted by our program assistant, and it has a dedicated private space nearby to complete intake and orientation to the program,” said Tracy Kollwitz, one of Guild’s program managers. “The layout of the building allows for clients to easily access staff, their bedrooms, and various common areas without difficulty or confusion vs. having to walk outside to another dwelling for what they need.”
“This is a type of care that is really needed in the community,” said Emily Schug, Dakota County’s deputy director of social services.
We kicked off the facility’s opening with a ribbon cutting ceremony and tours of the new building for staff and board members, and residents began moving in mid-month. It’s been especially exciting to see how eager our team members have been to get into the new space!
“This building incorporates really state-of-the-art design, or what we call trauma informed design, that really best supports people to heal and recover,” said Guild CEO Trish Thacker. “Having not only the services available, but the right kind of setting that really incorporates what we know about trauma-informed design principles, has made this a really important project.”
Lael Clifton, our household coordinator, added: “Shoutout to Dakota County for the beautiful landscape that they have provided. I hope when clients come for the first time that they can feel a homelike environment.”
We continue to be grateful to our partners and donors for helping make this building a reality, including the O’Gara family, who gave the single largest donation in Guild history. Their support covered furnishings, IT setup, moving expenses, and the first year of operations. This project has been marked by incredible collaboration and shows how with the right support, and with funding at the county, state, and federal levels, a community can come together to make a difference for people in need.
To hear more about this project, check out Guild CEO Trish Thacker’s conversation with Dakota County’s Emily Schug on MPR News. The new facility, and the services it offers, was also featured in The Minnesota Star Tribune and St. Paul Pioneer Press.