City Hires Mental Health Coordinator

The Coordinated Addiction Response Effort (CARE) has hired Alecia Allen to serve as its Mental Health Coordinator. Allen will be responsible for coordinating the work of a Mental Health Response Team comprised of City of Charleston staff, mental health experts, homeless shelters, and social service providers. The CARE Office anticipates reaching up to 30 additional individuals or families each month to address mental health crises and additional social service needs.

“Alecia Allen will serve a critical role within the CARE Office by working to address mental health issues in our community,” said Mayor Amy Shuler Goodwin. “This role requires collaboration with social service providers, our hospitals and mental health facilities, and the rest of our CARE team to ensure rapid response.”

"I hope to be helpful in moving our city forward in terms of healthcare awareness, response, and prevention. Although my expertise is rooted in mental health, I intend to improve our approach to care and continuity through collaboration, communication, and ongoing outreach,” said Alecia Allen, Mental Health Coordinator for the City of Charleston. “I’m excited to give back to a city that I love with people who care for one another and have placed Charleston’s best interest as a priority. "

The City of Charleston's Coordinated Addiction Response Effort (CARE) is an initiative launched in 2019 by Mayor Amy Goodwin to coordinate, enhance, and expand efforts to address the impact of substance use disorder (SUD) on individuals, families, and communities in Charleston, West Virginia.