TOPEKA, Kan. (WIBW) – Stormont Vail Health opened a new outpatient behavioral health clinic this week, taking a step in improving mental health services in northeast Kansas.
The facility reflects dramatic growth for Stormont Vail’s behavioral health program. Director of Clinical Services Brad Chapin said the health system had one therapist conducting 400 outpatient visits annually when he arrived 10 years ago. Last year, the program served 44,000 outpatient visits with a staff of 30 therapists.
“We still are getting between 400 and 500 calls a month for services, so we are going to continue to grow as the need is there to try to meet that need,” Chapin said.
New facility offers dedicated space for outpatient services
The new outpatient facility is located in a renovated building at 2601 SW 3rd St. on the former Topeka State Hospital grounds. Previously, outpatient behavioral health clients shared space with inpatient services at the Stormont Vail West building at SW 6th and Gage.
The new outpatient facility features a new entrance, rooms for individual and group therapy sessions, and space to expand psychological testing and medication management services.
“(It’s part of our integrated system) to work against stigma of behavioral health also,” Chapin said. “You just go to the doctor, you see your primary care doctor and you also see your behavioral health specialist all in one system.”
Chapin said he is grateful Stormont’s management recognized mental health deserved an investment on par with physical health.
“If you don’t pay attention to your mental health, it’s just like any other health care issue, it will continue to get worse. It’s going to impact your work. It’s going to impact your family. It’s not one of those things that typically just gets better on its own. You have to be intentional about taking care of your mental health,” Chapin said.
The outpatient clinic is phase one of Stormont’s behavioral health improvements. The next phase will reconfigure administrative offices and renovate space in the SW 6th and Gage building for specific services for pre-adolescents.
Chapin said behavioral health overall faces a challenge of recruiting people to the profession to meet demand.
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