The Knoxville City Council gave its approval for the creation of the Behavioral Health Urgent Care Center on Tuesday.
The council unanimously approved the agreement with Knox County and the Helen Ross McNabb Center for the BHUCC. The facility will provide treatment to non-violent offenders who are addicted to drugs or are dealing with mental health issues.
The facility is planned to have 24 beds, and will be located in a former church at 3343 Dewine Rd. in West Knoxville.
With their vote, the council approved $400,000 in funding for the facility's first year, and a one-time contribution of $200,000 for building renovation.
"It's a diversion from jail. So people are choosing, instead of going to jail, to actually getting treatment so that the cycle won't happen again," said Knoxville Mayor Madeline Rogero.
The Knox County Commission approved a services contract and lease for the facility on Monday. Their vote approved a 20-year lease for the Dewine Road property and approved $1.2 million in funding for renovations and up to $600,000 annually to Helen Ross McNabb to run the facility.
Many West Knoxville residents voiced their opposition to the location of the facility at the council meeting Tuesday night, as they have at several other meetings with city and county leaders on the project.
"It's just a concern for our whole neighborhood right there, so yeah, we're discouraged," said Carol Zimmerman, who lives in the neighborhood.
Even with the council's vote Tuesday, many residents said they were still unhappy with the location, and planned to continue opposing it.