Memorial Behavioral Health has launched a new clinic aimed at helping those facing mental health crisis during the COVID pandemic.
System Administrator for Memorial Behavioral Health, Diana Knaebe says the new clinic is like an Express Care for for mental health.
The clinic is open from 8:30am to 4:30 pm Mondays through Fridays for walk ins or phone calls. Knaebe says with COVID-19 cases on the rise in central Illinois, it’s essential to reduce the pressure on local hospital emergency departments while still helping those with mental health issues such as anxiety or depression, but don’t know where to turn.
Local health care providers, such as primary care physicians can also call to refer their patients to the clinic.
To reach the clinic, dial 217-525-1064. Memorial Behavioral Health also has a walk in crisis intervention team stationed in the emergency department of Memorial Medical Center in Springfield.
Knaebe says the goal of the new mental health clinic is to help these individuals in an outpatient type of setting to help reduce the number of patients in an emergency department who are not experiencing a psychiatric or medical emergency.
She says Memorial Behavioral Health offers other services to the public, including an emotional support hotline at 217-588-5509. The hotline hours are 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. Mondays through Fridays.
Anyone who may be considering suicide or who is worried that someone else might be can call the national suicide prevention hotline around the clock at 1-800-273-TALK (8255) and reach a trained professional.
Memorial Behavioral Health is a member of the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline’s network.