The demand for mental health care has skyrocketed since the pandemic hit and a nonprofit is opening a new hybrid mental health care facility in Minneapolis to address the need.

People Incorporated, the largest nonprofit mental health provider in the state, will welcome patients on Wednesday to their new hybrid facility at 3633 Chicago Avenue in Minneapolis.

Patients with the nonprofit explained opening another location will have a big impact on those struggling. 

“When you have severe depression, it can be really hard on you,” Antoine Carter, a People Incorporated patient, said.

Since Carter was a teenager, painful feelings and thoughts interrupted his daily life.

“Things can be a lot better, but things can be a lot worse. It’s really hard for people who have mental health struggles,” Carter said.

But People Incorporated made it easier.

“They’ve kept me out of the hospital several times,” he said. “It just had a big impact on my life and I’m glad they’re around.”

Earlier this year, Carter stayed at a People Incorporated mental health care facility where he got short-term crisis services and long-term intensive treatment under the same roof.

“In the past, if someone did that, they would have to go to a different facility, but it’s a lot easier when you do it this way,” he said.

People Incorporated is opening up another hybrid facility in Minneapolis to increase the odds of patients getting all the help they need.

“You lose people in the system when you have those transition points,” said Gabe Becker-Finn, the People Incorporated director of operations. “They go somewhere else or they find some sort of alternative, maybe less healthy behavior that they fall into.”

The facility has 13 beds, private bathrooms and stability.

Becker-Finn said the South Minneapolis location, which is steps away from George Floyd Square, was picked with purpose.

“There’s a lot of need here and it makes sense to put a place where it needs to be,” he said. “We’re right on the bus line. It’s really easy to access and it’s a community that we really want to be a part of.”

Becker-Finn explained he’s witnessed success stories where people move on and enter into recovery after using the services.

Carter has seen it for himself.

“I haven’t been in the psych ward since 2016. So I’m really glad about that and I can give a lot of that credit to People Incorporated,” Carter said.

This is the fourth hybrid mental health care location People Incorporated has opened up in the state.