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ST. LOUIS (KMOV) – Behavioral health services are being offered to riders at Metro transit stations.
It is a partnership between Bi-State Development and Chestnut Health Systems, which operates MetroLink. The hope is to improve the lives and safety of drivers.
Two teams of individuals from Chestnut Health Systems are located in the Civic Center and North Hanley locations in Missouri. The goal of having those specialists at Metro stations is to build relationships with riders while providing those behavioral health services.
Keith Forrest rides Metrolink every day but has never heard of this program.
“If it can help people and get them back on track and back into the community, that’s a blessing,” Forrest says.
Fores said he has benefited from programs like this in the past and knows it can help other people in the same way.
“Get them back on their feet,” Forrest says. “Help them get a house or an apartment or whatever they like. Bring them to work and things like that.
Chestnut Health Systems team members are providing help with mental health issues, the homeless and substance abuse issues.
Jim Wallis with Chestnut Health Systems knows that’s why building relationships between employees and drivers is key, being a friendly face to those in need every day.
It allows the staff to track those who need the service.
“It’s our staff’s challenge and protocol to get them connected to the right services and stay connected,” Wallis says.
The program first started in Illinois with the St. Clair Country Transit District.
The partnership expanded to Missouri in the past year, now serving more than 300 people each month. Kevin Scott, general manager of security at B-State Development, says this is an aspect of security they haven’t been able to address until recently.
“There are so many people out there who use our system every day and need support,” Scott said. “It’s not a security intervention.” It is not law enforcement intervention.”
The partnership expires Dec. 1 in Missouri, but the bi-state development is going to the board to extend the program for another two years.
The Bi-State Development Board will decide on that extension at its November meeting.
Scott’s contract with St. Clair County expires on April 1, 2023. As that date approaches, there will also be discussions to expand the partnership in Illinois.
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