CHARLOTTE, N.C. — The City of Charlotte and its community partners are implementing a plan to reduce teen crime. A big part of that plan is addressing the mental health of Charlotte's youth.
One solution in development is the future Katie Blessing Center. The owners of StarMed Healthcare are behind the facility. They say it will be the largest pediatric behavioral health resource in North Carolina.
Their goal is to transform an abandoned building in east Charlotte into a state-of-the-art center that will offer long-term, short-term, and emergency mental health care for people 18 and under. The facility will also offer inpatient and outpatient care.
Founder and CEO Michael Estramonte said it will be the first of its kind in North Carolina, offering all phases of care for pediatric behavioral health under one roof.
"It's a game changer for these kids," Estramonte told WCNC Charlotte. "Not just in the present but for potentially the rest of their lives."
The nearly $65 million project will create 72 beds for pediatric behavioral health care. Estramonte said the need is great.
"Kids are waiting in the emergency departments not just for days or weeks but sometimes months waiting for a bed. Most of the time they're having to find beds that are not in North Carolina."
He added that youth mental health and crime go hand in hand.
"70% of kids that are in the juvenile justice system right now also have a mental healthcare diagnosis," Estramonte said.
Charlotte City Councilwoman Lawana Mayfield is hopeful the center will help many children heal, and potentially save their lives.
"Having a facility here that's going to help not only the youth, it's also going to help the parents to understand better what's going on, that is a win for our region," Mayfield told WCNC Charlotte.
The center is requesting $2.5 million in the upcoming city budget under the city’s overall plan to reduce juvenile crime. Mayfield said it’s unclear if every budget request in the proposed plan will get approved.
"We're looking at a pretty hefty budget," she added.
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Estramonte said construction will take about a year to complete and they hope to start accepting patients in mid-2025. The emergency department will be the first division to open at the Katie Blessing Center.
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