East Lansing officials could provide funding in the establishment of a regional sobering center.

The Lansing City Rescue Mission has taken the lead in the early stages of founding the center. Mark Criss, the organization's executive director, has been conferring with the council about the sobering center, which would provide an alternative to a hospital or jail for those who are publicly intoxicated.

"We see that there are people falling between the cracks," Criss said. "It's kind of overkill taking them to the hospital, but there's no better alternative."

Council member Beverly Baten said officials are looking to participate in the creation of the center by providing the rescue mission with funding.

City officials will consider applications for grants from this fund beginning in January or February. The money will come from East Lansing's community development block grants, said Baten.

The discussion about a sobering center stems from a proposed ordinance which prevents individuals from seeking shelter in parking ramps or public areas.

"People are taking shelter there for lengths of time and it's creating a problem for people who are using the parking structures," said Baten. "There's a fear factor built in for some people, probably ladies in particular."

Criss and Baten both stressed the expense of taking an intoxicated individual to the emergency room. Criss told the council May 8 that sobering centers are usually found working with hospitals in large metro areas. Mel Trotter Ministries in Grand Rapids also provides sobering center services, similar to those the mission might provide.

Officials at the Lansing City Rescue Mission are talking to several regional organizations about partnering with them for the construction of the center, said Criss.

The center would cost between $250,000 and $300,000 a year to run. Most of that money would be allotted for salaries for the full time residential nurses who would staff the center, Criss said. The nurses would be on hand to monitor a patient's vital signs and call an ambulance if necessary, providing a safe environment.

In addition to short-term medical services, officials also hope to provide long-term alcohol and substance abuse treatment.

"The City Rescue Mission goes where the need is," Criss said.

Exactly who the center would serve is another question the organization is addressing.

In his research about the center, Criss said he found there is a large number of East Lansing and MSU students who are taken to the hospital for intoxication during events, such as football games or Welcome Week.

"The amount of intoxicated people emergency services tends to is "event-driven," said Fire Chief Randall Talifarro on May 8.

"Would we handle those patients as well, or just the homeless?" Criss asked. "The amount of resources the center obtains will be the deciding factor".

Although the future of the project is uncertain, it does have support.

"I think we're doing the right thing," Baten said. "It's just a matter of the time when a sobering center might open."