“I think this work is really permeating throughout the country right now, just recognizing the need for behavioral healthcare and the struggles of people have in accessing it.”
Bob Smith is Cherry Health’s Chief Behavioral Health Officer. He says Cherry Health’s same-day access to mental health care was in response to meeting the needs of the community at large.
“A lot of our goals were to ensure that, when people wanted care, the answer was, ‘Yes,’ and it wasn’t, ‘Let me put you on a wait list.’”
Smith says Cherry Health Access aims to be the first point of contact for individuals seeking behavioral health services. In addition to reviewing treatment options and service availability, their team provides initial patient evaluations, preliminary diagnoses, education, and brief interventions.
“Generally, when people are recognizing that now’s the time to get help, waiting 30 days doesn’t do them any good, and so for us, it’s really about getting things started right now, understanding what that need is, and offering coping skills and support and making sure people are safe.”
Cherry Health Access for urgent and walk-in mental health services is available Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. at 100 Cherry Street Southeast. They accept all insurances and offer payment plans based on income, but no one is ever turned away based on ability to pay.
