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A crowded room of government officials, nonprofit workers, and community members celebrated the opening of Dakota County’s Crisis and Recovery Center in West St. Paul today.
What: The 16,000-square-foot center offers 16 beds for adult mental health treatment for up to 90 days, short-term crisis treatment, and a ‘place to go’ for mental health assessment and access to support services. The project is a partnership between Dakota County and the nonprofit Guild Services. The center replaces three aging homes in South St. Paul, while also upgrading and expanding care.
Where: The building is located on Livingston Avenue next to the Dakota County Northern Service Center.
Cost: The $14.1 million dollar project was funded with a mix of state bonding, state grants, and federal funds from the American Rescue Plan Act.
Design: The building design was an intentional and collaborative process. Multiple elements, including murals, lots of windows, and a private courtyard work to create a calming space to promote well-being and healing. It’s also environmentally friendly with a geothermal heating and cooling system as well as solar panels on the roof that meet the building’s electricity needs.
Impact: Officials repeatedly said the center would fill gaps in the current system and provide a local option for care when people sometimes need to drive hundreds of miles to find an available bed.
- West St. Paul Police Chief Brian Sturgeon supported the project, noting that it fills a gap when a situation doesn’t rise to the level of hospitalization. How often will police bring someone here? “Probably one to six times a day,” Sturgeon said, highlighting the tremendous need for mental health services.
Project History
The Crisis and Recovery Center came before the West St. Paul City Council in 2022 in the midst of backlash from some neighbors. Other neighbors rallied around the project and ultimately the Council approved it unanimously.
“It’s incredible to see the many different pieces that had to come together to make this possible, from our neighborhood to the federal government,” said one of those supportive neighbors, Randi Walz. “This is our community showing up.”
“I’m grateful that the city gave space to hear all voices,” said Michelle Lewis, another neighbor who supported the project.
A host of government officials spoke at the groundbreaking in the fall of 2023.
“I sincerely can’t think of a more significant groundbreaking and now ribbon cutting in my six years on West St. Paul City Council,” said Council Member Lisa Eng-Sarne.
“I came back here and sat in a camp chair,” said Eng-Sarne, pointing to the woods that lined the parking line next to the building. “I wanted to take in the space and balance the concerns of residents with people facing mental health crises. It was clear when I was looking up at the trees and listening to the birds that this would be a place where residents can find safety and peace.”
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