New Frontier Health facility expands mental health access

Frontier Health is expanding its services in Kingsport with a new facility focused on mental health and substance use services for children and teenagers. The Midland Center, located just across the street from Dobyns-Bennett High School, celebrated its grand opening with a ribbon cutting Friday. The facility includes an adventure program for teenagers ages 13 to 18 struggling with substance use, a crisis walk-in center for children and youth and a medical wing. The building itself features several group rooms, a classroom for students, a courtyard with games, a sensory room and other amenities. Frontier Health's existing outpatient psychiatric services will also relocate to the site, a move that President and Chief Executive Officer Kristie Hammonds said will free up space at the neighboring Holston Counseling Center. {{tncms-asset alignment="center" app="editorial" id="a79016d3-328f-4142-968c-e48c7619ea0c" width="two-thirds"}} Hammonds added that the facility has been a work in progress for a few years. It was funded in part with support from Eastman Credit Union and a $50,000 contribution from Food City. Ashley Evans, a vice president of Frontier Health, said the Midland Center will provide a new opportunity for the city. Its adventure program and crisis walk-in center build on services that were previously only available in Johnson City. Having a few services for children located in the same place, she added, can help decrease travel time for people in Hawkins and Sullivan counties. "This opens the door for us to serve many more youth," Evans said. "This allows them to be seen so much quicker to get the services they need." She added that the facility aims to open as soon as next week. Jim Nash, chief student services officer for Kingsport City Schools, said the center is another step toward serving the city's students and staff. "I can speak personally in my role in the school system over the past 30 years, we as a school system have worked every day alongside with Frontier Health," he said. "[We're] just thrilled with the partnership we have with them." A number of community leaders and lawmakers also attended the grand opening, including Kingsport Mayor Paul Montgomery, Vice Mayor Darrell Duncan, State Sen. Bobby Harshbarger, R-Kingsport and State Rep. Tim Hicks, R-Gray.