May 31—4C Health showcased its new offices Wednesday morning during an open house while the Logansport Cass County Chamber of Commerce hosted a ribbon cutting ceremony.
4C CEO and president Dr. Carrie Cadwell said the new facility, located at 800 N. Fulton, represents the future of mental health services in Cass County.
"This is the culmination of a vision of what is possible for 4C, what is possible for our employees and what we should be providing for our rural area and providing a phenomenal office experience for our clients," she said.
4C clients will be able to receive outpatient mental health therapy—including one-on-one and group therapy, recovery addiction services and psychiatric medication management services.
The health network has been working with a master facility plan that was established five years ago. The new location joins two group homes and embedded school-based services in Logansport.
4C is currently remodeling a building in Peru that will be used for inpatient services. Crisis Stabilization Services, emergency services for those in immediate need of help, will move into the building in approximately six months. Services there will also expand to include teenagers.
"4C health has provided high quality services for the community since 1975 and the quality of the service has never been questioned but the quality of the facilities has not been at the level our employees, our community and our clients have deserved," said 4C board member Dean McCurdy. "I think what's great about this is that it now matches the quality of the people we have in the organization."
The new facility has a welcoming waiting area with large glass windows and lots of natural light while the individual rooms retain the smaller, comforting feel one expects when attending a therapy session. Group rooms are larger and also include windows that provide plenty of natural light.
McCurdy said research showed a nice environment with access to light both removes barriers to treatment and increases the success of treatment. He said 4C is following the path of many modern mental health facilities with its design.
The windows and lighting also counter the cave-like feeling many older mental health offices and clinics have. Instead of keeping mental health a secret, the 4C office says there is no shame or stigma when it comes to mental health. The staff is still committed to confidentiality, however.
"Just as we have hospitals that care for physical ailments—you see a lot of glass and modern design there—it's time to shed the light on mental health issues and what we can do to support everyone who deals with them," McCurdy said.