What is The Living Room?

The Living Room is a free, inviting space offered to residents in our local communities. We want to provide an alternative to Emergency Departments, by providing a safe, non-clinical space to adults, 18 years old and over, that are experiencing a mental health crisis or substance abuse.

The model recreates the living room in our homes by using comfortable furniture, soft colors, soft lighting, and inspiring artwork on the walls. This, along with reduced stimuli, should help Guests feel safe and at home. The space offers common areas where Guests can socialize with others, as well as private space where Guests can spend time by themselves or working with the team.

Visitors are referred to as “Guests” to reinforce the non-clinical aspect of our model. Hours for the Living Room are established based on local community needs; we work with Fire and Police Departments, as well as hospitals and crisis centers to identify hours when the need for mental health services is higher.

The program is free of cost to our Guests, and there is no need to have a mental health diagnosis to use the facility. The Living Room is staffed by Recovery Support Specialists to help lessen the stigma. Recovery Support Specialists are individuals that have a mental illness or another co-occurring disorder but have achieved a level of recovery that allows them to be of assistance to others. Using their own experiences, the Recovery Support Specialists will assist Guests in de-escalating the presenting crisis, establish short-term goals that respond to their specific situation and that are achievable; educate Guests on coping skills, and develop wellness plans to include other resources that may be available in the community at large.