Orange County NC Website
22 <br /> pediatric facility be included, but she also didn't think that perfection should be the enemy of the <br /> good. She said if the county can help with mental health, they are also helping keep their housing, <br /> which is another major concern. She said that she is supportive of Options B1 or C. <br /> Vice-Chair Hamilton referred to slide #17. She asked about what is currently budgeted <br /> for the crisis diversion facility and the current tax impact for the project. <br /> Travis Myren said it would be $22 million of $900 million in the ten-year CIP, and $900 <br /> million is about 9 cents. He said that the tax increase for the facility would probably be small. <br /> Vice-Chair Hamilton said that anything that they add has a tax increase impact. She said <br /> all the changes would not have a huge tax impact on a $400,000 home. She said some of the <br /> savings that the county may see are for emergency services and law enforcement, but it will be <br /> harder to see impacts at the county level. She said that emergency departments are not a good <br /> environment for someone struggling. She said she supports the project, but she recognizes they <br /> might have to not do something else in order to pay for the project. She said patients will still <br /> need support outside of the facility in the community, which is largely not there. She said they <br /> may end up seeing some of the same people over and over. <br /> Commissioner Greene asked about Option A2 and why it was not selected. <br /> Travis Myren said A2 did not include the full number of BHUC bays. <br /> Commissioner Greene said she understands the need for dual entry. She said that the <br /> subcommittee has worked hard around this issue and given that, she supports their <br /> recommendation of design option C. <br /> Commissioner McKee said he thinks of a conversation that he had with a couple of judges <br /> years prior that, when it comes to mental health and substance abuse, "you pay now, or you pay <br /> later." He said when talking to law enforcement, many of the people who would be in treatment <br /> might otherwise be in jail. He said when someone is incarcerated, they risk losing their jobs, their <br /> families may have to receive public assistance, and families can break up, and those are costs to <br /> the community. He said regarding the design of the facility, the advice he's getting is that they are <br /> building too small. He said for that reason he supports Option C. <br /> Commissioner Carter said she was glad that the county is supporting sequential intercept <br /> mapping to look at the needs of youth. She said understanding that more will help inform short- <br /> and long-term actions. She asked if land banking could be considered as the county continues <br /> to analyze the issue. She asked if the county has spent $3.2 million in the design phase of the <br /> facility. <br /> Travis Myren said yes, either spent or encumbered. <br /> Commissioner Carter asked if after the decision at the meeting, the county would be done <br /> with the design phase. <br /> Travis Myren said that with a final design, they would move into seeking the GMP. <br /> Commissioner Carter said she supported options that provide the full bed count. She <br /> asked about the differences between the original design and Option C. <br /> Travis Myren said the design would be simplified and squared up. <br /> Commissioner Carter said they would not lose functionality, but would lose some <br /> architectural features. <br /> Travis Myren agreed and said functionality would be preserved with Option C. <br /> Commissioner Carter said she supported having a healing space that is visually <br /> representative of the services someone would receive. She said Option C would save on the cost <br /> of design and construction. She said that it's hard to quantify the architectural changes with the <br /> impact to the tax rate, which is approximately 40 cents for a $400,000 property tax bill. She said <br /> she supports whatever the majority decides, including the original design. <br /> Chair Bedford said agreed on the dual entries for patient needs as well as emergency <br /> services turnaround times. She said it is important for a facility to have a care team to meet to <br /> discuss patient needs. She said supports Option C for the discharge and community space. She <br /> said she supports sequential mapping to determine the needs for youth in the community and that <br />