SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (KELO.com) — The Board of Directors of The Link has selected Avera as the provider to operate services at the community triage center.
The Link, located at 132 N. Dakota Ave. in downtown Sioux Falls, will offer a detoxification center, a sobering center, and a behavioral health triage service within the same location.
The Board of Directors and project team for The Link issued a formal Request for Proposals earlier this year seeking a triage center provider. The evaluation was based on a previously determined rating scale to assess a proposal’s suitability, and after a review, the Board directed the Project Team to conduct formal interviews. Members of the Board and project team who might have a conflict of interest concern recused themselves from the ranking and selection process. The Board voted on December 3rd to approve and extend a contract to Avera, and both parties have now signed the contract.
Avera is a Sioux Falls-based health system with over 60 years of extensive experience in mental health and addiction treatment services provided throughout the multi-state region.
“Avera has a full continuum of behavioral health and addiction care, yet this was one aspect that was missing. Serving our community through The Link will allow us to care for an underserved population and hopefully more fully address addiction and substance misuse as we help people find the resources they need,” said Thomas Otten, Assistant Vice President, Avera Behavioral Health Center. “We are excited to work with other partners in making a difference.”
“The Link is a private, non-profit organization and public-private partnership that has coalesced to create a program that is unique to Sioux Falls and will meet the needs of many people,” said Steve Lindquist, project director for The Link. “This has been an unmet need in our community, and The Link will collaboratively work with other helping agencies in our community to assist people with aftercare services.”
The partnership includes the City of Sioux Falls, Minnehaha County, Sanford Health, and Avera. As a community triage center, The Link will be a safe place for people experiencing a non-violent behavioral health crisis or needing care for substance abuse disorders to access immediate treatment and referral to support services. Services will include urgent care for non-violent behavioral health crises, detox, and sobering services, short-term treatment for substance or alcohol addiction, case management, and referrals to other services for mental health or substance use disorder treatment.
The contract will take effect this spring as The Link is opened. Learn more about The Link at www.LinkSF.org.
(Avera Health contributed this report/news release.)
