The Helen Ross McNabb Center and the community will celebrate the opening of the newly-renovated 1408 Bailey Home, one of the Center's five supported living homes in Chattanooga, with a ribbon cutting ceremony and open house on Friday, June 2, at 11 a.m.
The Center, with support from BlueCross BlueShield of Tennessee, the City of Chattanooga and First Tennessee Bank, renovated 1408 Bailey Home for individuals experiencing homelessness and living with severe, persistent mental illness. BlueCross BlueShield of Tennessee awarded the Center a grant in the amount of $150,000 specifically for three supported living housing projects; the 1408 Bailey home is the second of the three McNabb Center supportive living homes to be reconstructed or renovated. This funding, along with support from the City of Chattanooga and First Tennessee Bank, has allowed the McNabb Center to provide greater access to affordable housing for adults with mental health disorders in the community.
The newly-renovated 1408 Bailey Home has five bedrooms and will house 10 adult individuals at full capacity. Bailey Home will provide comprehensive support services to each resident through both on-site and community resources with a dedicated staff who will work 24-hours a day to assist with daily living skills, ensure medication needs are met and coordinate daily life skills groups. It will be a new found reality of recovery and wellness for the Bailey Home residents.
“Supportive living at Bailey Home provides permanent, safe and affordable housing for adults after being discharged from a mental health facility,” said Jerry Vagnier, Helen Ross McNabb Center president and CEO. “Community partners, like BlueCross BlueShield of Tennessee, are helping create access to quality care for individuals with mental illness who have the most needs and the least resources.”
McNabb Center outpatient mental health care and The Lighthouse peer support services are in close proximity to Bailey Avenue. Integrating supportive living with access to mental health care and social support greatly increases the opportunity for success, health and independence. The National Alliance on Mental Illness reports that between 70 percent and 90 percent of individuals with mental health problems have significant reduction of symptoms and improved quality of life with a combination of therapy, medical help and continued support.
For more information, please call Robyn Graves at 423 290-6499 or visit www.mcnabbcenter.org.