Parents and neighbors concerned about possible mental health clinic across from school

NORTH AUGUSTA, SC (WJBF)- People in North Augusta are taking to social media to voice concerns about a planned mental health center near an elementary school.

In a final vote in November, the Aiken County Council voted to rezone the old Belvedere United Methodist Church property to allow for a proposed health and wellness center.

The property, located directly across the street from Belvedere Elementary School, would include space for Aiken Barnwell Mental Health, which has many neighbors and parents voicing safety concerns. One of those concerns is the possible increase in traffic.

“Well, we’re first, mostly concerned about just any busy business that would be placed just feet away from our kid’s school. Whether it be the Community Health Center, a Dollar General, a hair salon, any unnecessary traffic to the area like poses harm to the kids that walk to school around their bikes. Just play in the neighborhood,” said Carlee Leopard, a Belvedere Elementary parent.

Some are also frustrated saying the public meetings weren’t well advertised in the neighborhood and happened in the aftermath of the hurricane. They claim the storm debris hid any public hearing signs for the county planning commission’s or county council’s public hearings

Sandy Haskell, the District 5 representative on the Aiken county Council told NewsChannel 6 that signs were placed around the neighborhood, on the property and the public hearings were advertised in the paper. He also said notices were sent to several hundred residents about the first public hearing that took place at Bel-Ridge Baptist Church on August 23, 2024.

Haskell added that representatives from the Health Department, Aiken Barnwell Mental Health, the Sheriff’s Department, North Augusta Public Safety and the Belvedere Fire Department as well as some local elected officials and some of the neighbors were at the meeting. He said there was only one person who spoke out against the rezoning and that all votes were unanimously in favor of it.

A neighbor who didn’t want to be identified, said he and many members of his family own homes throughout the Belvedere Ridge neighborhood. He said none of them saw the signs or got any letters or flyers Haskell said were sent out.

Leopard said that she believes all of the elementary school parents should have also been told about the meetings whether they live in the neighborhood or not.

“It could have been very easy just to send one flier and copies could have been sent out in folders or sent home. And I think that would have been a little more receptive if we would have known what was happening ahead of time instead of finding out after the fact,” she said.

Leopard added that she agrees that the center is a vital need in the community, but believes for safety reasons, directly across from a school is not an appropriate place for one.

Haskell said the health and wellness center will house more than just a mental health clinic. The North Augusta Health Department office may move there as well as some veterans’ services and offices for other non-profits.

“They offer mental health counseling, drug and alcohol interventions- getting you to AA for alcohol to resources available to get you off of drugs. I understand they do not dispense any pharmaceuticals whatsoever. They have a nurse practitioner or possibly a PA they might write prescriptions.”

The anonymous neighbor said that he, his family and many of his neighbors believe a methadone clinic will be going into the old church building. After we told him that wasn’t likely the case, based on the information we had, he maintained that having people with mental health issues and addicts visiting a clinic directly across from Belvedere Elementary School is a major safety concern. He agrees there is an urgent need for the clinic in the community, but thinks it needs to be located somewhere else.

Haskell shot down claims from neighbors that it will be a methadone clinic saying drugs will not be given to anyone there. He said it’s his understanding that counselors will provide therapy and may write prescriptions, but nothing will be administered.

He added that drugs and addicts are already a problem in Belvedere Ridge and that this clinic is a possible solution.

“Some of the parents told me, said, you know, we don’t want drug addicts walking up and down the street going to this facility. And I said, well, right now you’ve got the drug addicts walking up and down the street already. At least if you’ve got a mental health facility there, they might be going to get some treatment.”

We also spoke to several Aiken County School Board members who said they are only just learning about it. Leopard said she hopes now that they know, they can help stop it from happening.

“We had parent representatives at the school board meeting last night, and they all seemed like this was very new news to them. So we’re hoping that some of them will be on board to help kind of push this forward with the Council of Aiken County and the Planning Commission,” she explained. “I’ve been in contact with someone at the Planning Commission for Aiken County to see what the process would be to get that overturned, since it doesn’t seem like they went about this in a due process type way.”

Belvedere Elementary School’s representative, Colen Lindell sent us a statement saying:

“My understanding is that the zoning for this was approved this past fall. This is not an issue that will come before the Aiken County Council, nor is it something within the authority of Aiken County Public Schools. The school district has no role in this decision. However, having a School Resource Officer in our elementary schools, including Belvedere Elementary, is a top priority.”

Haskell told us that Aiken Barnwell Mental Health talked to the Aiken County School District about plans for the old church property. He said he wasn’t at the meeting but was told that after being told that the Aiken clinic has never had to call the police, school officials didn’t have further concerns.

The district sent us a statement contradicting that.

“While our school and district leadership recognize the importance of accessible mental health and substance abuse resources and facilities within our community, it would never be our desire that areas within close proximity of school campuses be designated for that purpose, and we understand how concerning this is for our parents.

The safety and security of our school campuses remains our highest priority, and we are committed to ensuring a nurturing learning environment for Belvedere’s students, teachers, staff, and families.”