BE THE ROCK
Please consider contributing to WellStone's capital campaign. Help those in mental health and substance use crisis by supporting North Alabama's only 24/7 crisis center.
SUPPORT WELLSTONE
Because you care. You care about the one in five individuals who experience mental illness and substance use disorders (SUD). You care about their families. You care about local law enforcement personnel whose jails are overcrowded. You care about hospital Emergency Department workers who are already overwhelmed. And you care about completing the continuum of mental healthcare for adults—and children—in Madison County.
Because you care, we ask that you consider supporting North Alabama's only mental health crisis care center, WellStone Emergency Services (WES). Please "Be the Rock" for someone in need and help us build a foundation of compassion, connection and community for those in mental health and substance use crisis.
Your gift, at any level, will strengthen our mission. Together, we can connect North Alabama children, adolescents and adults to health and well-being.
.png "Donation Charity Infographic (2)")
MORE THAN 8K
More than 8,000 people are taken to our local Emergency Departments every year with mental health crises.
EVERY 3 DAYS
On average, Madison County experiences one overdose every 3 days and one suicide every 6 days.
35 PERCENT
Approximately 35% of Madison County jail inmates live with a mental illness.
SECOND LEADING
Suicide is the second leading cause of death for children ages 10-14.
TRANSFORMED CARE FOR ADULTS—AND CHILDREN
WellStone Emergency Services, or WES, a 24/7/365 crisis care facility, transformed the way we treat those experiencing mental health and/or substance use crisis for adults. It's time we do the same for our kids. WellStone is building an urgently needed inpatient care center for our children, the first facility of its kind in North Alabama. Every year HEMSI takes more than 800 children out of county — and sometimes out of state — for psychiatric care because there is no inpatient option in Madison county.
“AFTER A 21-HOUR WAIT IN THE PEDIATRIC ER, MY EIGHT-YEAR-OLD GRANDDAUGHTER WAS TRANSFERRED TO A PSYCHIATRIC HOSPITAL FOUR HOURS AWAY. THAT WAS THE CLOSEST PLACE WITH BEDS AVAILABLE. I’M SO GLAD WELLSTONE IS FILLING THIS NEED. OUR CHILDREN AND THEIR FAMILIES DESERVE BETTER.“
— JJ, MADISON COUNTY
“WHEN DECATUR WEST IS FULL, WE TAKE THEM TO OTHER FACILITIES. IT'S HARD ON THE KIDS AND THEIR FAMILIES, AND IT'S TAXING ON US, TOO. SOMETIMES OUR PEOPLE ARE GONE FOR HOURS, DEPENDING ON THE RUN. THAT'S AN AMBULANCE OFF OUR STREETS AND A TEAM THAT'S NOT RESPONDING TO OTHER EMERGENCIES HERE IN MADISON COUNTY.“
— DON WEBSTER, HEMSI COMMUNITY RELATIONS COORDINATOR
