Open Miami-Dade’s Mental Health Center Now — Treatment, Not Jail
Open Miami-Dade’s Mental Health Center Now — Treatment, Not Jail
The Issue
The building is ready. Families are waiting. People in crisis need care now — not more delay, not more excuses, not another trip through jail.
How many more people have to suffer before Miami-Dade does what it already promised to do?
Right now, people with mental illness are still falling into the same brutal cycle: crisis, arrest, homelessness, neglect, repeat. Families are left terrified. Communities are left carrying the consequences. And a facility built to help is still waiting to fulfill its promise.
Miami-Dade’s new mental health facility at 2200 NW 7th Avenue was approved by voters in 2004 to provide a more effective alternative to jail for people with mental illnesses. The County’s plan says the Center’s initial model includes 99 beds and could serve about 4,319 people each year through crisis stabilization, residential treatment, mobile response, and intake services.
Ya basta.
This Center was conceived to divert people with mental illness from jail, reduce homelessness, and improve community health. That is not a luxury. That is a public duty.
Tratamiento, no cárcel.
And yet identified funding reportedly covers only two years of operations. Opening the Center is essential — but opening it without a long-term commitment is not enough. Miami-Dade must do both: activate this facility now and build a sustainable future for it.
This should not be controversial.
This should not be delayed.
This should not depend on whether the public keeps pushing.
People in crisis deserve treatment.
Families deserve relief.
Our community deserves better.
La salud mental no puede esperar.
Miami-Dade residents also deserve transparency. Officials have already publicly discussed details of the Center in a sunshine webinar. Watch here:
https://youtu.be/k2x5xRIJAyM?si=NM4XVldWA8ydorEM
The conversation has started in public. Now the public must make sure it leads to action.
We call on Miami-Dade leaders to:
- Open the Mental Health Center without delay
- Fully support its launch and operation
- Commit to long-term funding beyond the initial period
- Provide transparent public reporting on results
- Treat mental health care as essential public safety infrastructure
Nuestra comunidad merece mejor.
Cumplan la promesa.
Abran el centro ya.
Sign this petition to tell Miami-Dade: Open it. Fund it. Sustain it.
380
The Issue
The building is ready. Families are waiting. People in crisis need care now — not more delay, not more excuses, not another trip through jail.
How many more people have to suffer before Miami-Dade does what it already promised to do?
Right now, people with mental illness are still falling into the same brutal cycle: crisis, arrest, homelessness, neglect, repeat. Families are left terrified. Communities are left carrying the consequences. And a facility built to help is still waiting to fulfill its promise.
Miami-Dade’s new mental health facility at 2200 NW 7th Avenue was approved by voters in 2004 to provide a more effective alternative to jail for people with mental illnesses. The County’s plan says the Center’s initial model includes 99 beds and could serve about 4,319 people each year through crisis stabilization, residential treatment, mobile response, and intake services.
Ya basta.
This Center was conceived to divert people with mental illness from jail, reduce homelessness, and improve community health. That is not a luxury. That is a public duty.
Tratamiento, no cárcel.
And yet identified funding reportedly covers only two years of operations. Opening the Center is essential — but opening it without a long-term commitment is not enough. Miami-Dade must do both: activate this facility now and build a sustainable future for it.
This should not be controversial.
This should not be delayed.
This should not depend on whether the public keeps pushing.
People in crisis deserve treatment.
Families deserve relief.
Our community deserves better.
La salud mental no puede esperar.
Miami-Dade residents also deserve transparency. Officials have already publicly discussed details of the Center in a sunshine webinar. Watch here:
https://youtu.be/k2x5xRIJAyM?si=NM4XVldWA8ydorEM
The conversation has started in public. Now the public must make sure it leads to action.
We call on Miami-Dade leaders to:
- Open the Mental Health Center without delay
- Fully support its launch and operation
- Commit to long-term funding beyond the initial period
- Provide transparent public reporting on results
- Treat mental health care as essential public safety infrastructure
Nuestra comunidad merece mejor.
Cumplan la promesa.
Abran el centro ya.
Sign this petition to tell Miami-Dade: Open it. Fund it. Sustain it.
380
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Petition created on March 8, 2026