Mental health center debuts renovations

Jan. 21--A Glendale mental health facility on Wednesday unveiled a $1.7-million renovation that includes soundproofing to ensure privacy during therapy sessions, a shower for clients who may be homeless, an expanded children's waiting room and a larger kitchen.

Didi Hirsch Community Mental Health Center, an outpatient facility that serves about 45 patients a week, kicked off plans to renovate the center about four years ago after $1.2 million in funding was secured by Los Angeles County Supervisor Michael Antonovich.

"It's important because we have people who have mental health issues from childhood to adulthood," Antonovich said at the unveiling Wednesday morning. The building where the renovation occurred was named after him. "And in order to have a healthy community, we have to have these issues treated so that people could become productive citizens."

The redesigned drop-in wellness center includes a larger kitchen -- which allows clients to plan and prepare meals -- a computer lab, and group rooms with couches and games so the staff can focus on socializing the clients with each other to help them reintegrate into the community, said Lyn Morris, the facility's vice president of clinical operations.

Also new is a shower for people and families who are homeless or living out of their cars.

Kita Curry, chief executive of the facility, noted the huge difference a shower can make, pointing to her own experience with homelessness as a child, when she and her family members would pay a dime to access a public restroom and take turns washing up inside.

One of the more "invisible" changes, Curry said, is the soundproofing of the therapy rooms.

"When doing therapy and dealing with sensitive issues, it's important that we have safe, secure, soundproof rooms to get patients the help that they need," Morris said.

Last year, the facility served 2,000 patients, which is double the client load when Didi Hirsch took over Verdugo Mental Health in 2011, according to Curry.

"We were bursting at the seams," Curry said, adding that the renovation makes better use of the existing space.

Among the facility's patients was Kim Hall, 53, who started going to the center four years ago after a year of living on the streets battling schizophrenia and losing her job as a substitute preschool teacher. She said she now has an apartment and has reconnected with her family.

"I've gotten a whole lot better since coming here," Hall said.

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