HOUSTON COUNTY, Ga. — On Monday, the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) Central Georgia broke ground for a new group home in Warner Robins -- it's one step closer to providing a new home and care options for adults with mental illness.
Paula Watkins, NAMI executive director, says this project is important because there are many people in need.
"NAMI Central Georgia has a three-year waiting list, only because that's all that we can physically maintain, and so we absolutely know that there's a need for housing," said Watkins.
Once the new home is built, a total of 22 people can live at NAMI. Watkins says there's a waiting list of hundreds.
"Well, it's difficult to have mental Illness when you don't have a roof over your head. That's the basis for everything else, so with us being able to provide housing for individuals that have a mental illness. This is the first step, and then providing them transportation, back and forth to the doctor, meals, whatever it is that they need in order to be successful," said Watkins.
The new two-story building will feature housing on the top level and activity space at the bottom.
Watkins says the city of Warner Robins and Warner Robins Supply played a crucial role in the process.
Mayor Randy Toms says the city helped fund the project.
"Through the Community Development Block Grant money, which we refer to as CDBG, they were able to partner in a sense with the city, and through that program were able to help fund what they do for those in our community," said Toms.
Toms says this can help keep people off the street.
"A lot of the homeless issues we have in our communities and not just Warner Robins or Houston County but in our communities as a whole, can be traced back to mental health issues, and so the work that NAMI is doing as a whole is great," said Toms.
Watkins says this is the Phase 1 of the project. Phases 2 and 3 will each add 10 additional housing spots. Watkins says the plan is to have the building up and running by July 2022. NAMI is located at 209 Elberta Road in Warner Robins. You can contact NAMI at (478) 328-0508 or visit their website.