Resources:
Rylee Barnsdale's Feature Article: Ypsi-area organizations find new ways to eliminate barriers to mental health care
Transcription:
Rylee Barnsdale: You're listening to 89 one WEMU. I'm Rylee Barnsdale, and this is On the Ground Ypsi. Accessibility to mental health services is more important than ever, with COVID-19 pointing out gaps in the way that we think about and treat mental health struggles. Some Ypsi organizations are looking to not just make behavioral health resources more available and less stigmatized, but curate them to the unique struggles Ypsi's community is facing. One of these organizations is Ypsi's Hope Clinic, who has historically offered free medical care, dental care, behavioral health care, food and other basic support services to the under and uninsured and has been taking steps over the past few years to integrate their behavioral health screening and care into their medical and dental offices, as well as their food and spiritual services. With me today is Hope Clinic's behavioral Health Manager, Julie Payne, who can tell us a bit more about what that integration looks like and what it means for the patients Hope Clinic is serving. Hi, Julie! How are you doing?
Julie Payne: I'm doing well. Thanks for having me.
Rylee Barnsdale: So, I would love to look at a little bit of background on what kinds of behavioral health services that Hope offers and how they're being integrated into the myriad of other services that folks can find there.
Julie Payne: Yeah. So now, we are approaching behavioral health services from an integrated model at the Hope Clinic, seeing the person as a whole person. And so, we don't just treat a medical issue or a dental issue or food. We really have found that the best way to approach the behavioral health issues and, actually, research has found, is as a whole person. And so, a patient might come in to the medical clinic with a medical need and come in to see a doctor. And in all of our clinical services, we're screening for depression, anxiety, food insecurity and substance issues just as a part of the patient process, like they would take the blood pressure or the weight. We have clinically trained people that are coming in and just asking these questions and then addressing the needs on the spot in that same appointment. The client can then have patient follow-up with a trained, licensed clinician for follow-up care as well. So, uninsured patients have access when they walk into Hope Clinic doors to these screenings and immediate interventions for their behavioral health needs.
Rylee Barnsdale: And how did these efforts for integration kind of get started?
Julie Payne: Yeah. And Hope clinic has always seen the patient as a whole person. So, even in the very beginning when Doctor Dan Heffernan started it over 40 years ago, it wasn't just medical care provided. They quickly saw we need to provide food as well. People are struggling with social determinants of health type needs, and we're helping people navigate resources. So, Hope Clinic has always had more of a whole person view of people, which is really wonderful, and offering chaplaincy and spiritual care as a Christian organization that serves all people. And so, what really started as, in first, it was basic needs and incorporating more of, like, the social determinants of health, homelessness and navigating resources. And then in 2018, they had an opportunity through Community Health Systems and Michigan Medicine to get a small grant to start offering some hours of clinical therapy, just noticing that the mental health needs were severe and that people who are under and uninsured can't access mental health care. Really, you can go into this psych ER, but you can't get outpatient help for your everyday needs. And so, we started a small amount at that time of licensed therapy clinical hours and just saw that it wasn't enough. You know, we would refer to outside sources finding that they weren't there. And during the pandemic, the mental health crisis really elevated. And for people who are homeless, people who are uninsured, it hit them even harder. And so in our community, and at that time, we were able to launch a campaign where donors came on board and committed to really launching this, along with additional grants from Michigan Medicine as well.
Rylee Barnsdale: This is WEMU's On the Ground Ypsi. I'm Rylee Barnsdale, chatting with Hope Clinic behavioral health manager Julie Payne. If I am a first-time patient at Hope Clinic and I'm coming in for a routine medical checkup or something along those lines, what does my first visit look like as it pertains to behavioral health integration and how that kind of looks?
Julie Payne: Yeah, our hope and our efforts are that it's seamless for you that you have a team of care that wraps around you as the patient. So, that right when you come in, we're finding out what is the presenting medical issue which we have doctors available there. But also, are you suffering depression? Are you suffering anxiety? Do you have enough food in your pantry? Because we also have a food bank that we can actually just go right over and get you some food and make you appointments, so that you'll have food resources as well. So, the screening is just part of that general patient process also happening in dental in our dental clinic. So, people are coming in for dental care, also getting similar screenings from kind people who are just asking, "What are your needs," and "Do you have a need for prayer? Would you like spiritual care," which people can say no, and they'll get the best possible care in every other way.
Rylee Barnsdale: And behavioral health is going to follow the patient throughout every step of the way with the kind folks, the clinicians and volunteers at Hope Clinic. Is that right?
Julie Payne: Yeah. So, when people do have an identified depression or anxiety, some kind of issue that that they need more clinical care, they're actually going to get assigned to a therapist if they want for free licensed therapy, which is amazing. With our partnership, we have interns in both counseling and social work, along with some volunteers that volunteer who are licensed for our organization and staff people, so they can get assigned a therapist and actually have those weekly appointments to come in. And also, we can just check in with them when they're coming in for their medical appointment, for their dental appointment, or for food services. So, our hope is that people can get as much wraparound services when they're in the building as possible because people are in crisis. It's very difficult to have multiple appointments a week when you're trying to work multiple hourly jobs and you're dealing with other crisis or possibly you're homeless. We do really strive to have it be a seamless team approach, where the food person might come in with a bag of groceries, the nurse might come in to take blood pressure and the behavioral health person might come in and talk to you about your mental health needs.
Rylee Barnsdale: I feel like that whole person approach really does tackle the ways that all avenues of health impact one another, if that makes sense.
Julie Payne: Absolutely!
Rylee Barnsdale: How have patients responded to that method of care?
Julie Payne: Yeah. So, we're really pleased. We've been doing client satisfaction surveys, asking people, "Do you like this whole person care approach? Do you feel respected? Do you feel like you've made progress towards your goals?" I just checked our last six months of surveys, and it was 100% satisfaction!
Rylee Barnsdale: Oh, wow!
Julie Payne: And then also, we are actually tracking data on are we making improvements based on standardized measures and depression, anxiety, substance issues. And, yes, we are significantly. It's really something we're excited about. We have seen research articles on how do we help in people in crisis. And here we are. You know, this approach, this wraparound approach with all of these volunteers, such a community partnership. So many volunteers from our community professionals giving of their time is a really making an impact.
Rylee Barnsdale: This is WEMU's On the Ground Ypsi. I'm talking with Julie Payne, the behavioral health manager at Ypsi Hope Clinic. So, Julie, you mentioned how Hope's behavioral health integration throughout all of its services is positively impacting the patient's mental health, their physical health, all aspects to health. Why doesn't every health care provider have this kind of model? What is it that is setting Hope apart and allowing you to serve the community in the way that you're doing?
Julie Payne: Yeah. So, we've also benefited. Part of this grant was to send us to some national organizations on integrated care, which has been wonderful, in seeing that it really is the gold standard of care for all health care systems. And a lot of health care systems are really trying to do this. I think the difference at Hope Clinic is we have over 1600 volunteers. And so, for us to implement something, we have enthusiastic, caring, compassionate individuals who want to do what's best and are willing to just try to do what's best. We aren't bound by insurance billing, and so we really are just setting up our services is what we think is best for the patient. And we have such an enthusiastic, grassroots approach and such a base here. I think that's why it works, personally. And our patients are just so grateful. And a lot of different people who receive services at Hope at some point in their journey turn into volunteers. They might serve at the farm stand or in the pantry or in different ways, because they want to be a part of what's going on.
Rylee Barnsdale: And for those listening who maybe are in that category of person who are hearing this, the mission at Hope and what you guys are doing, if someone is listening and wants to get involved, where would you lead those folks?
Julie Payne: Yeah, I think it's wonderful if they want to go to thehopeclinic.org. And right on the website it asks, "Are you looking for help?" or "Are you wanting to help?" And it can be the same people doing both things like I mentioned. And then, they can navigate from there. We really have a need for people with licensed professional services. So, nurses, medical professionals, dentists, licensed professionals who want to get involved, they can fill out that professional application. But we also have something for everyone if they want to serve in our food and basic needs--our diaper pantry--efforts like that.
Rylee Barnsdale: Thank you so much, Julie, for coming in today to chat with me a little bit about Hope Clinic and your unique way of meeting behavioral health needs in our community. I really appreciate it.
Julie Payne: Thank you so much, Rylee.
Rylee Barnsdale: For more information on today's topic and links to the full article, visit our website at WEMU.org. On the Ground Ypsi is brought to you in partnership with Concentrate Media. I'm Rylee Barnsdale, and this is your community NPR station, 89 one WEMU FM, Ypsilanti.
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