Centerstone Kentucky Launches Pilot Program

Louisville’s Metro Council has approved $325,000 for a new pilot program of Centerstone Kentucky. The Living Room is designed to be a place where people with serious behavioral issues can be connected to professional services and treatment, 24-hours a day. Modeled after a program in South Chicago, it is expected to cut down on the repetitive cycle of people going in and out of jail.

Recently, CLOUT (Citizens of Louisville Organized and United Together) coordinated the first “Safe City Roundtable” at which Centerstone and other organizations were represented. Part of the discussion revolved around The Living Room project. Chris Finzer, co-chairman of CLOUT said people would “be able to get an assessment, to get some work done to determine what the next step should be in their treatment.”

“This will allow [police] to divert them so they can get the proper social services as opposed to booking them in the jail for a very minor offense for loitering or trespassing, only to have them released 24-48 hours,” said Kathy Basham of Centerstone.

For more information on The Living Room or any of Centerstone’s services, call (502) 589-1100.