Crisis center’s future in doubt

By Timothy Pratt

Wednesday, May 21, 2003 | 8:41 a.m.

After months of controversy surrounding the future of a one-stop shop for homeless services downtown, the United Way has stepped in to help seek a solution -- less than six weeks before the center's funding runs out.

The solution, United Way Executive Director Dan Goulet said, could include funding from private sources, including his own agency. Much of the uncertainty over the Crisis Intervention Center's future after its funding runs out June 30 has involved how much each municipality in the Las Vegas Valley should pay to support the center.

Goulet led a meeting Tuesday with the state, county, and nonprofit agencies that currently work out of the Crisis Intervention Center, as well as a representative from the city of Las Vegas -- owner of the property the center stands on -- and other agencies that have followed the issue with keen interest.

"We're a neutral voice in all of this," Goulet said after the meeting.

"We want to see what role we can play in getting the service providers around the table and find out what we need, what we don't need, and what the funding options are."

The meeting was for moments as contentious as the debate over the center has been in recent months.

Linda Lera-Randle El, who led the center from 1994 to 1998, said the center may have outlived its usefulness.

"At the time it made sense to do," she said. "There were less homeless and the political climate was different.

"Keeping that center open may not be the best thing anymore because the population is bigger and more dispersed and there is less political support for it."

The center is the last remaining building in the former MASH Village campus, one of the largest nonprofits in what is called the homeless corridor downtown, along Main Street near Owens Avenue. MASH closed down last fall when its director, San Diego-based Father Joe's Villages, pulled out due to lack of funds.

Catholic Charities, a neighboring nonprofit, has run the center since October, with funding from various sources, principally Las Vegas and Clark County. In recent weeks Las Vegas Mayor Oscar Goodman urged North Las Vegas and Henderson to also provide funding as of June 30. North Las Vegas said it would commit $40,000, more or less what it costs to run the center one month.

But several of those present at the United Way meeting were as concerned about the center's mission as they were about its funding. They pointed out that the center had once had more than 40 agencies and free telephones and computers, but now had dwindled down to eight agencies.

"I think we need to have a forthright dialogue about what it has become," said Candace Ruisi, director for Women's Development Center, a nonprofit that offers transitional housing to single parents.

"We have to talk about what's working and what's not working before throwing money at it."

Maurice Silva -- a Southern Nevada Adult Mental Health Services social worker who works at the center -- made a pitch to keep the center open based on the expanded services his agency could offer once the recently increased state budget for mental health comes through.

A team including a psychologist, a social worker and psychiatric caseworkers could come to the center, he said.

"A lot of people out there are mentally ill, and we could make a tremendous impact with this team," Silva said.

"We can't miss the opportunity to dedicate these services where they're really needed."

Goulet asked those present to put in writing their ideas for the center and its funding. A second meeting will be held June 2 to approve a final version of those ideas and make a recommendation to the different municipalities and the public.

Officials from North Las Vegas and Henderson were not invited to the meeting, but will be asked to attend the upcoming meeting. Las Vegas officials were also not invited, but found out about the meeting through other sources, city spokeswoman Elaine Sanchez said.

"Our intent was not to slight them, but to talk to who's in the building and other key service providers," Goulet said.