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Administrative office: Newsletters:
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Free Mental Health ClinicThe Mental Health Access Program seeks to provide free mental health services to uninsured and underserved individuals of Thurston County while building a community among mental health professionals and other providers. MHAP provides brief therapy (approximately 4 visits) using volunteer therapists and will be targeting clients with symptoms of anxiety and/or depressed mood who might be responsive and successful in this environment. In partnership with the Thurston County Public Health and Social Services Department, who is providing the clinic space, MHAP anticipates accepting clients in May of 2007. In the initial phase of operation, the following services will be provided one evening a week in four-week cycles: Individual counseling (50-minute sessions/up to 4 sessions) Group counseling - three groups which will focus on anxiety, depressed mood, and related medication education: Depressed Mood (90-minute session, 8 –12 participants, 4 meetings)
MHAP staff will not be writing prescriptions or dispensing medication, but will be consulting with the client’s primary care provider(s) to ensure access to medication, if appropriate. To further support this MHAP will be working with CHOICE Regional Health Network to assist clients with needed medications. The Mental Health Access Program is currently only able to serve a limited number of carefully screened clients from current referral sources. Clients 18 years and older will be accepted after being screened. These sites are not functioning as the entry point for our services but the referral sites are referring their normally-occurring patient base to MHAP as appropriate. Please help us build this important resource for our community and respect that this is a closed clinic to start with and no self or private referrals will be accepted. We are very aware of the need for mental health services in our community and we are doing best to build a program that will be a sustainable resource for the community. To ensure continuity of care for clients, and to meet all legal requirements, volunteer therapists will commit to one evening a week for four weeks, plus one orientation meeting. Therapists will be licensed mental health professionals. Staff members will be asked to participate in a closing evaluation, and periodic in-service staff training may be recommended. A continuing process of quality assurance and program evaluation will be conducted. The entire program will be revised, as needed, and the types of services as well as the mental health issues addressed will be reviewed. During the next month, MHAP representatives will be meeting with various professional and community groups to share information regarding the program. Persons interested in volunteering for service, both on a professional and non-professional basis, are invited to talk with any representative of MHAP. Time-limited commitments for service will be accepted throughout the year, but are especially needed as the opening date approaches. For further information on the program, or to explore opportunities on how you can help make this program a reality for our community, click here.
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