Local agencies team up for mental health care

A new nurse was hired in McLean County. (Photo by WJBC's Eric Stock)

BLOOMINGTON — The McLean County Health Department, Scott Health Resources and United Way of McLean County are teaming up to fund a new model of mental health care for local patients.

Approximately 150 McLean County residents lost services through McLean County Center for Human Services (CHS) in 2009 when the state stopped funding mental health services to uninsured individuals who do not qualify for Medicaid assistance.

As the need for additional psychiatric services in McLean County escalated, the Health Vision Council — a group of community health professionals convened by United Way of McLean County — set out to find a solution. Those on the council included: Advocate BroMenn Medical Center, Community Health Care Center, McLean County Center for Human Services, McLean County Health Department, OSF St. Joseph Hospital, PATH Crisis Center, Scott Health Resources, and United Way of McLean County.

Working together, CHS and the council established a new model of mental health care using an advanced practice nurse to provide psychiatric services in a more cost-effective manner. Then the McLean County Health Department, Scott Health Resources, and United Way of McLean County worked together to provide additional funding to address the issue.

The health department, Scott Health Resources and United Way each committed to provide $25,000 in 2012 toward this new model of mental health care using an APN. The services provided by the new APN to underinsured or uninsured residents who do not qualify for Medicaid will increase the available mental health services to its previous 2009 level. McLean County Health Department and United Way of McLean County have historically provided funding toward mental health services at CHS.

Health department Director Walt Howe said the agencies were able to pool their funding.

“For a cost that is substantially lower than we were paying for an actual psychiatrist, so we certainly looked at that as an opportunity, a model we wanted to try,” Howe said.

Wenjing Cao has been hired as the new APN at CHS. Cao graduated from Louisville University. Before coming to CHS, she worked at Our Lady of Peace Hospital and Kindred Hospital, both in Louisville, Ky.

“It’s probably something that can be looked at (as) a long-term measure,” said Howe. “At least for these clients who used to be able to be served at the Center for Human Services.”

Howe said paying for the new partnership is likely a long-term solution.

“We knew we had to come up with a local solution to a problem that was imposed on us (because) the state is no longer able to provide funding for these services,” said Howe.