(Radio Iowa) – Johnson County’s GuideLink Center is starting its third year of providing mental health and substance abuse treatment and four-thousand admissions later, the data shows more walk-ins than expected. About 700 of the facility’s admissions came from law enforcement, while more than one-thousand came from health care providers. GuideLink’s Faraji Hubbard coordinates recovery at the center.

“Our first responders, our officials are able to connect with individuals who are struggling and they have that option to come to GuideLink,” Hubbard says, “and that is the gift.” Hubbard says instead of inadequate care, jail or a trip to the emergency room, there are options, like a chance to get help. Medical Director Monika Jindal says people are becoming more aware of these services and are making use of them, even outside of a crisis.

“GuideLink was originally designed to be jail diversion and ER diversion, and I think we have done some of that,” Young says, “but I think a lot of what we’re seeing is that the pandemic certainly exacerbated mental health needs.” Over the past three years, some 14-hundred people walked in for service.