Middlesex Health’s Crescent Center to House Outpatient Mental Health Services

To help better serve its community, Middlesex Health is improving access to its mental health services for both children and adults.

“There is an increased need for mental health services throughout the country,” says Dr. Jeffrey Shelton, chair of Middlesex Health’s Department of Psychiatry. “It’s crucial that we do as much as we can to help as many people as we can.”

Middlesex Health provides both inpatient and outpatient mental health services, helping nearly 10,000 children, adolescents and adults annually. It currently has nine outpatient mental health program sites in Middletown, which are at capacity. However, these outpatient mental health services will soon be housed in a single, larger location — The Crescent Center.

The 54,000 square-foot Crescent Center is located at 1 MacDonough Place, the home of the organization’s former assisted living community. The health system held a capital fundraising campaign to raise money for the renovation project.

The health system continues to have an outpatient mental health services office for adults in Old Saybrook.

In addition to housing all of its Middletown outpatient mental health services in one location, The Crescent Center will allow space for Middlesex Health to expand its outpatient mental health services to close gaps in care that are particularly acute including services for women with postpartum depression and young adults ages 18 through 26.

“These are areas where we know we can make a notable and immediate impact,” says Terri DiPietro, administrative director of mental health services and community partnerships at Middlesex Health. “Taking care of your mental health needs is so important for individuals of all ages.”