Mental Health Urgent Care Offers Hope and Healing
This new Burlington center provides timely, judgment-free care that helps patients rediscover stability.
Under the autumn glow of the Intervale Center’s silver maple trees, Gabby Makatura recalls when her life reached a breaking point.
After leaving a high-stress job, what was supposed to be a restful transition period turned into anything but. Anxiety and uncertainty took hold. She felt numb and disconnected. She lost weight. A series of escalating panic attacks ended with a trip to the emergency department.
“I just wanted to crawl out of my skin,” says Makatura. “I was deeply depressed and couldn't see a way out.”
Her mother, visiting from Colorado out of concern, had heard about Howard Center’s new Mental Health Urgent Care Center in Burlington, Vermont. With encouragement, Makatura agreed to try it. When she walked through the doors, she broke down in tears.
“I just knew I should’ve been there all along.”
A Low-Barrier Resource for Care
Struggling with mental health can be isolating, especially when people aren’t sure where to turn.
“So many suffer in silence because they’re afraid of being judged or because they feel they’re not ‘hurting enough’ to go to the hospital,” says Tim Durney, director of the Mental Health Urgent Care. “This center is here to make care accessible and timely. If it’s a crisis to you, it’s a crisis to us.”
Opened in October 2024, the center is a partnership between University of Vermont Health - UVM Medical Center, Howard Center, Pathways Vermont, Community Health Centers and the Vermont Department of Mental Health. Designed for comfort, it offers a therapeutic alternative to the chaos of an emergency department or the isolation of facing a crisis alone.
Staff include crisis clinicians, medical nurses, case workers and peer support specialists. The goal: Connect each guest with the right mix of resources. For some, that means finding a therapist or primary care provider. Others may need help with insurance or housing. Whatever the case, the guest drives the services — not the other way around.
“That’s what makes this place unique,” says Audrey Davis, the center’s clinical supervisor. “We take a 360 view of every guest, meeting them where they are and building the right team with the right resources.”
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The Power of Peer Support
Often, what people crave most is connection, especially with other people who have lived through mental health challenges.
“I think that’s what’s made our peer support space so successful,” says Rawnie Davis, a peer support specialist. “We spend time with people who check in, keep them company or just listen. Many people just want a quiet, safe space — without judgment or expectation.”
For Makatura, that space — and peers like Rawnie — was a revelation. After her first visit, she spent the next two months coming daily to the peer support room. She packed lunch, caught a ride with her partner to the center’s fourth floor location at 1 South Prospect Street and spent the day among an ever-changing group of guests and specialists. She worked on job applications, did puzzles, laughed and cried and practiced coping with rising panic — supported by people who understood.
“It’s such a safe place — no one asks why you’re there or questions your agenda,” Makatura says. “There’s nothing like being surrounded by people who have lived through the same experiences.”
She soon landed a new job and found her outlook improving. A year later, she still stops by occasionally to say hello to friends like Rawnie.
“I don’t know what I would’ve done without people like her.”
Want to Learn More?
- Hours: Monday – Friday, 9 am–5 pm
- Location: 1 South Prospect Street, Burlington, VT
- Phone: 802-488-MHUC (6482)
- Access: No appointment needed; walk-ins are welcome. Free parking and easy access by public transportation.
- Insurance: Services at Mental Health Urgent Care are fully funded and free for the first three years, with the exception of physical health services covered by insurance. Guests will be asked to provide insurance information to aid in planning for future services.
