The Latah County Commissioners on Monday signed a letter of support for establishing a youth crisis center in Moscow.

Public Health — Idaho North Central District is seeking grant funding to develop a “youth behavioral health community crisis center” as part of the Rural Crisis Center Network.

The letter, addressed to the Idaho Department of Juvenile Corrections, states the region has “above average youth and adult suicide rates and below average access to crisis and counseling services.”

The Latah Recovery Center partners with the Rural Crisis Center Network to provide a crisis center at its location on Main Street in Moscow. However, it currently does not provide services to people younger than 18.

Latah County Commissioner Kathie LaFortune said people in a crisis can come to the center to be evaluated by mental health practitioners to ensure they are not a danger to themselves or others.

Individuals can stay there for 23 hours and 59 minutes, Commissioner Tom Lamar said.

Lamar said that when it comes to helping Idaho’s youth, the state’s behavioral health system is “strongly lacking.”

It is unclear where this new crisis center would be located if funded, he added.

Lamar and LaFortune both sit on the Public Health – Idaho North Central District’s behavioral health board. Lamar said there has been a “huge increase” in demand for mental health services. Lamar said a mental health counselor told him she has to book appointments 18 months out because of this demand.

“Children’s mental health issues is constantly on the top of the list,” he said. “So, this is going to be a huge way to address that.”

Lamar said the demand will likely continue to be high locally for college-age students because of the large freshman class at the University of Idaho. He said these freshmen are students who spent much of their high school years online because of the COVID-19 pandemic. He worries a lack of in-person socialization will negatively affect them as they navigate college.

“We’re seeing a need for people to be able to reach out and talk to people,” Lamar said.

Kuipers can be reached at akuipers@dnews.com.