ISU holds grand opening for new psychiatric center

POCATELLO – Those seeking mental health treatment in eastern Idaho have a new option to choose from in Pocatello.

A grand opening was held for the ISU Community Psychiatric Center on Thursday afternoon. The center at 421 Memorial Drive treats patients ages 14 and up who are struggling with a wide variety of mental health illnesses from cities across the region.

“Over the last 20 years, we have made significant strides in bringing mental health issues to light, but there’s so much work that needs to be done and I truly feel that this center is going to be able to do that,” said Dr. Daisa Orchard, psychiatrist and medical director of the center.

While the grand opening was held on Oct. 24, the center has been taking patients since mid-July. Since opening, they have taken in referrals and established partnerships, including one with the Village, an early intervention program for juveniles located in Pocatello.

The center began as an idea of former president Kevin Satterlee, who told current President Robert Wagner that he “deeply regretted” not being able to be in attendance at the opening.

“I wanted to mention to all of you that this is on Kevin Satterlee’s mind, and he’s aware that this is taking place today, and I too would like to pay respect to his vision and the efforts that he made in seeing this come to fruition,” Wagner said.

Orchard was working at ISU Student Health when she was brought onto the project. For two years, the planning team held bi-monthly meetings and brought the center to fruition.

“To care for the community that I’ve cared for for two years has been wonderful,” Orchard said.

While the center is located in the Gate City, Orchard is seeing patients all the way from Blackfoot, to American Falls to Malad. While patients are expected to come in person for their intake appointment, they can seek telehealth treatment going forward.

Orchard hopes to see more people who haven’t sought treatment come to their center. For people who are on the fence, she said that they can’t force them to take any treatment they don’t want and that she takes their opinion throughout the entire process.

“We’ve asked a lot of patients, what would you tell a loved one if your loved one was struggling? Because so many people would tell their loved one to get treatment,” Orchard said.