Center Point opening Davie Wellness Center
Published 11:00 pm Wednesday, August 26, 2015
When Center Point’s Davie Wellness Center opens next week, expect more than just a couple of rooms where group meetings can be held.
The former credit union building on Gaither Street in Mocksville has been transformed into a space for all Davie residents. Maybe it will be a yoga class, or a dance class, or a computer class.
“We’re excited about the big, wide open space,” said Stacey Inman, community operations manager. “The purpose is a presence in the community. It’s for the entire community, and anything we offer is free.”
Center Point is opening wellness centers in all of the counties in which it operates, and the focus will be on eight areas of wellness: education, finance, occupation, social, emotional, physical, intellectual and spiritual.
“We’ve researched this model and this is good and well rounded,” Inman said.
There may be pamphlets, but there will be peer specialists to guide people to any help they may need in any of the above eight focuses. There will be computers people can use. If a family needs food, they will point them in the right direction.
“We’re going to figure out how to get them help, to help them be successful,” she said. “We’re not limiting this to any segment of the community.”
The peer specialists are people who have overcome their own problems, and know how others may feel. “They can connect with people very quickly.”
Staff is trying not to duplicate with other available services, and has been busy in the past few weeks talking to people in the community about what is needed. Meenal Khajuria is the community program coordinator for Mocksville.
While Center Point traditionally deals with people with mental issues, integrating those people with others in the community is important, said Penny Casto, communications director.
“This covers all areas,” she said. “Maybe they have a mental health issue but have diabetes and don’t eat right. We can help them do better … teach them to shop, how to read labels, how to talk to their pharmacists and doctors.”
But dance and yoga?
“You have to get them in the for the fun stuff … and then you can get help for them,” Inman said.
Center Point is in the midst of a “What’s Stopping You?” campaign, trying to let people know that it is okay to seek help. There should be no stigma for getting help for mental health issues, she said.
“It’s to get people familiar with Center Point and get people familiar with the wellness centers,” Casto said. “All of this should help to reach people who need our services.”
The wellness center will also be open for other community groups to use.
“We are open to having all types of groups to use the center,” Inman said. “Center Point wants to be a part of the community.”