A little over a year ago, Carolina Panthers great Steve Smith Sr. stood in front of the Mecklenburg Board of County Commissioners and announced plans to establish the city’s first behavioral urgent care facility. And now, here on March 3, history has officially been made.
On Friday, the franchise’s all-time leading receiver opened the doors to the Smith Family Behavioral Health Urgent Care. The east Charlotte facility, which serves as an alternative to emergency rooms, is devoted to the intervention and treatment of urgent behavioral health needs.
“This building represents, for the men and women that will come in here, that when they leave that they’re inspired to say and feel that they are good enough,” Smith said at the opening.
He went on to thank Chief Administrative Officer of Tepper Sports and Entertainment Nicole Tepper, who was in attendance for the event. The David and Nicole Tepper Foundation has provided substantial support to the facility, accounting as the mission’s largest single donor.
“Nicole has been very instrumental—in reaching out and saying that she wants to volunteer, she wants to be hands-on. So thank you, Nicole. Thank you, Dave, as well,” Smith Sr. said.
.@SteveSmithSr89 opened the first Behavioral Health Urgent Care in Charlotte 💙 pic.twitter.com/ZDrw0LzHTY
— Carolina Panthers (@Panthers) March 3, 2023
The Smith Family Behavioral Health Urgent Care offers—per the Panthers’ release—rapid screening, short-term stabilization and referral, crisis counseling, and outpatient services.
For more information on the facility, you can visit the official website of the Steve Smith Family Foundation by clicking here.
