Mental illness stresses clinic
Wednesday, May 31st, 2006
By Chris Fitzsimon
By Cheryl Welch
Staff Writer
cheryl.welch@starnewsonline.com
The Tileston Outreach Clinic has its mind on mental health matters.
As the only free health clinic in the area, Tileston has been flooded with patients in the past two years as the state’s mental health reform shifted the burden of care from the state to the local level.
"We have been slammed by that," said Trish Doyle, the clinic’s executive director. "The effects are just tumbling down at this point."
A few years ago, one psychologist was able to handle the clinic’s case load of mental health patients suffering primarily from depression, anxiety and substance abuse. Now four psychologists share a case load of about 100 to 150 patients.
Other area agencies that treat the mentally ill - the Oaks Behavioral Health Hospital and Southeastern Center for Mental Health, Developmental Disabilities and Substance Abuse - have also had to adjust the way they do business. For instance, New Hanover Regional Medical Center is working to build a new, expanded Oaks with additional outpatient capabilities. It is projected to open in 2008. (more…)
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