Health Service Delivery
To combat the effects of geography, poverty, under-insuredness, and the stigma of seeking behavioral health services, the NRBHC conducts and evaluates programs for delivering behavioral health services in rural areas. Approaches include integrating behavioral health care into primary care facilities, developing school-linked models of mental health care, and the use of technology strategies, such as telehealth. Our current clinical efforts are described below.
School-linked Mental Health Services - Columbia County School District
Dr. Brenda Wiens provides mental health services to children and families referred by the Columbia County School District with a team of trainees including two post-doctoral associates, an intern, and several advanced graduate students. Within this setting, trainees gain experience working with underserved children and families, most of whom would not typically be able to afford mental health services. Trainees also gain experience consulting with school personnel (i.e., guidance counselors, teachers). Services offered through this clinic include individual child therapy, parent and family therapy, school consultation, assessment, and groups. Common presenting problems for this clinic include: ADHD, behavior problems, academic problems, anxiety and depression, histories of abuse and trauma, developmental disorders, and parent-child relational problems. Most children receiving services are referred by their guidance counselor or other school personnel.
Primary Care - Dixie Public Health Unit/VA Primary Care Clinics
There are several training opportunities in primary care. Dr. Steve Anton provides behavioral health services in the Dixie County Health Department, and will be training advanced graduate students. Dr. Jason Burns provides training opportunities for graduate students to work with Veterans living in rural areas at the Ocala Community Based Outpatient Clinic. Dr. Julius Gylys provides training opportunities for graduate students to work with Veterans in a primary care setting at the Gainesville VA. Within these three settings, students learn how to adapt traditional clinical and health psychology services for primary care clinics and community settings. Typical clinical activities include brief evaluation and treatment of clinical and health psychology problems, consultation and collaboration with primary care practitioners for psychological and medical management, individual and group treatment formats, and triage decision-making to prioritize service delivery. Common presenting problems for the primary care setting include psychological problems, such as anxiety, mood, somatoform, and adjustment disorders; health behavior change, such as smoking cessation, physical activity, and weight management; and medically-related issues, such as pain management, coping with illness, treatment adherence, and practitioner-patient communication.
