Patricia Martin has watched the Cahaba Center grow from three or four employees with a handful of clients, to more than 4,000 clients and dozens of employees.

“No one is denied service,” she said.

Martin is the Executive Director of the Cahaba Center, a position that she’s held for 23 of her 30 years at the Center.

She’s been there since it all began in 1973.

The Center was put together as part of a plan to offer comprehensive mental health facilities to three Black Belt counties, a position that was unfilled until Cahaba was formed.

“We are charged with the responsibility for providing treatment with mental illness and mental retardation,” she said.

What that means is anyone in the area suffering from mental illness or mental retardation, can go to the Cahaba Center and receive therapy, prescriptions and medical advice of all kinds.

They also work with developmentally and physically disabled children, helping them achieve as much as they can.

To top it all off, the Cahaba Center is one of the places in the Black Belt an addict can go to and get help kicking a debilitating and otherwise bad habit.

All of it is open to any member of the public, regardless of their ability – or inability – to pay.

The center draws the majority of its funding from Medicare, which means that the doors are open to anyone who walks in and wants help.

Individuals do pay for services, but only as much as their income allows.

The Center also receives funding from individuals and local governments.

It’s all done to help the community.

“We do a whole realm of services that someone would need to adjust,” she said.

Lately, the facility has been serving more and more people, Martin said, as mental health circles are encouraging less institutionalization and more out patient services.

“It has definitely been to meet a growing need,” she said.

Outside of these services, the Cahaba Center also provides occupational and physical therapy to the mentally retarded.

As part of that outreach, Martin said the Center also supports the Special Olympics.

The Centers clients participate in the citywide, regional and state Olympics, providing their clients with a chance to compete.

Hopefully, in the future,

more and more people in the Black Belt can take advantage of the Center.