Percent for Art Open House Showcases the Safe Haven Healing Arts Collection

St. Tammany Parish President Mike Cooper welcomed members of the arts and health communities as they came together at the Safe Haven Health and Wellness Complex, Thursday, December 10, 2020. The event — the Percent for Art Open House — was an art opening for 31 Healing Arts collections procured through a Call to Artists earlier this year, as well as donations from local philanthropists.

“With the addition of this healing artwork, we move closer to the opening of the Safe Haven Health and Wellness Center. This collection is vital to the facility, as we want each and every person who joins us to begin their healing journey to do so with dignity and a sense of hope,” Cooper said. “In addition to adding a healing component to the Safe Haven Health and Wellness Center, this Call to Artists offered an opportunity to our arts community to find work during this uncertain time and to add to the success of Safe Haven.”

Cooper opened the event by thanking members of the St. Tammany Commission on Cultural Affairs, local philanthropists, arts advocates Carlos Sanchez and David Fennelly, and Safe Haven Director Mary Burckell for their investment in Safe Haven and their work to bring this collection to the Safe Haven Health and Wellness Center.

Over 40 artists with over 280 proposals responded to the Call to Artists in the summer of 2020, issued by the St. Tammany Commission on Cultural Affairs and St. Tammany Parish Government. A five-member Art Advisory Panel selected the final collections for installation. Two additional pieces were donated by Carlos Sanchez and David Fennelly. Special thanks to the Advisory Panel members: Cindy Pulling, Administrative Director for NAMI St. Tammany; James Davis, St. Tammany Parish Councilman District 7; Laura Prisco, Chairwoman, St. Tammany Commission on Cultural Affairs; Jennifer Bushnell, Commissioner, St. Tammany Commission on Cultural Affairs; and Mary D. Burckell, Director of Safe Haven.

The artwork was funded through the Percent for Art Program at a cost of $24,400. This program stems from an ordinance passed in 2002 which authorizes the allocation of funds for art in the construction of public buildings. For this project selections were made specifically to enhance the healing environment of the facility. All artwork was installed in adherence to required guidelines for a Behavioral Health facility. You may view the Safe Haven Collection here.

Future projects slated for completion at the Safe Haven Health and Wellness Complex include: bedroom murals, an outdoor sculpture, exam room murals, and landscaping. See descriptions of each here. For information on involvement in pending projects at the Safe Haven Health and Wellness Complex, please contact Mary Burckell, Director of Safe Haven at : This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

The Safe Haven Health and Wellness Center houses St. Tammany’s first 24-bed Crisis Receiving Center, as well as a third Federally Qualified Health Center to serve the people of St. Tammany. It is expected to open in early 2021.

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Safe Haven will provide a collaborative healing environment for the behavioral health continuum by creating a high-quality, coordinated, sustainable and humane network of care anchored in St. Tammany Parish. The facility will serve as a comprehensive multi- faceted program and a “single point of entry” into the Behavioral Health continuum of care for law enforcement, the judiciary and local area hospitals. To sign up for updates on the progress of Safe Haven visit www.safehavenstp.org.

Safe Haven Health and Wellness Center Future Projects

For information on involvement in pending projects at the Safe Haven Health and Wellness Complex, please contact Mary Burckell, Director of Safe Haven at : This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

Safe Haven Advisory Board Meeting

Monday December 14th

I. Meeting called to order

II. Roll call

III. Approval of minutes

IV. Safe Haven Updates

V. Safe Haven Committee Discussion

VI. Other business

VII. Meeting adjourned

VIII. Our Next meeting will be on March 8th at 11am