MOUNT VERNON, OH — The Knox County Community Health Improvement Plan of 2021 highlights that improving access to mental health services could significantly enhance mental health outcomes in the county. Kathryn Spergel, executive director of Mental Health & Recovery for Licking and Knox Counties (MHRB), emphasized that increasing awareness and reducing stigma are vital for successful mental health treatment. Equally important is increasing access to care.
New Behavioral Health Urgent Care Center
To address this need, Behavioral Healthcare Partners of Central Ohio (BHP) opened a behavioral health urgent care center on South Mulberry Street in Mount Vernon in 2022. The Care Now Clinic offers early crisis intervention services for individuals aged 12 and older. BHP CEO Kathryn St. James compared the clinic to a medical urgent care center, bridging the gap between an emergency room and waiting to see a family physician. The concept of behavioral urgent care is new, and the clinic’s model, inspired by medical urgent care centers, aims to reduce emergency room visits, lower costs, and manage chronic conditions while offering immediate care.
Mobile Crisis Unit: Expanding Access on the Road
Two years after opening the Care Now Clinic, BHP is extending its services with a mobile crisis unit, known as the Mobile Care Now Clinic. This unit aims to increase access to care by meeting residents where they are, providing immediate services without the need for appointments or navigating complex systems. St. James explained that the mobile unit addresses a gap in care for individuals who need support but are not in crisis and cannot wait for available services.
The mobile unit mirrors the staffing of the Mulberry Street center, featuring a licensed counselor, a psychiatric nurse practitioner, a nursing assistant, and a care coordinator. The unit offers the same level of care as the brick-and-mortar clinic, with the flexibility to visit various communities, homeless shelters, wellness events, businesses, and schools.
Nimble and Flexible Services
The mobile unit has no fixed schedule, allowing it to serve a wide range of locations. Businesses can schedule the van for on-site employee support, and organizations can request its presence at community events. The unit accepts public and private insurance, self-pay clients, and MHRB funding for qualifying individuals, ensuring no one is turned away due to inability to pay.
BHP’s mobile unit is funded through a Care Source Community Investment Programming grant, with additional financial support from MHRB via state, grant, or levy funds.
A Concept Gaining Traction Nationwide
BHP’s mobile crisis unit is the first of its kind in Ohio, and similar services have been launched in other parts of the country, including Detroit, Michigan; Santa Monica, California; and Linn County, Oregon. These units respond to 911 calls, the 988 suicide and crisis lifeline, and hospital requests, providing community-based crisis intervention.
Future Challenges and Impact
St. James noted that 60% of individuals accessing care at the Care Now Clinic had not previously sought services, highlighting the persistent stigma and confusion surrounding mental health care access. The mobile unit aims to simplify this process, making it easier for people to get the help they need. However, staffing remains a significant challenge. Spergel stressed the importance of workforce stability in providing consistent services.
Long-term, Spergel hopes to see the mobile unit’s impact on reducing suicides, substance abuse deaths, and reported cases of depression and anxiety. Data collection will be crucial in measuring these outcomes and validating the program’s effectiveness.
Leading the Way in Ohio
BHP’s mobile behavioral health care concept addresses the high rate of “death by despair” in Knox County, including accidental overdoses and suicides. Early intervention is key to better outcomes, particularly in rural communities and vulnerable populations like the farming sector, which has a high suicide rate.
BHP will host a community event on Thursday, August 8, from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. at Ariel-Foundation Park, with a ribbon-cutting ceremony scheduled for 12:15 p.m. in the Park National Bank Pavilion. The community is invited to attend and learn more about the new services available.
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