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Mission -
Four County Mental Health Center is dedicated to providing
accessible, innovative services
in partnership with individuals,
families and our communities."
Vision -
We envision healthier communities as we help individuals and families improve
their lives. Collaborating with community partners, we sustain a robust range
of services that are accessible because we help people where they live and
work. We continue to be innovative as we identify new and special needs,
develop programs, train our staff, and deliver services. We will
expand our use of state-of-the-art technology to extend our capacity and enhance the
quality of service. We will continue to develop well-trained, dedicated staff
within a supportive, challenging, and personally rewarding work environment. |
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Staff -
Staff are qualified, professional, caring
individuals. The medical staff includes
psychiatrists: Dr. Ken
Williams, Medical Director, and Dr. Mark Haslett, a child and adolescent
psychiatrist, and Dr. Lauren Lee, general psychiatry. Advanced
Registered Nurse Practitioners and nursing staff complete the medical
department.
Four County has
outpatient
therapists serving all four counties who conduct individual, group, family,
and couple counseling. Community education programs, workshops,
and health fairs help the public become more knowledgeable and aware of Four
County and the services available. Outpatient services consist of
clinical services, crisis intervention, consultations, psychological
evaluations, divorce mediation, along with educational groups.
Services - Services are provided
to assist individuals and families throughout their lifespan. Clinical
services including therapy, crisis intervention and medication management
serve all populations from the young child to the senior adult.
Community services serve the the seriously mentally ill
adult or the severely emotionally disturbed child. These services are
divided into two entities:
Community Based Services for
Children and Community Support Services for Adults. Case managers are employed
by both departments. The case manager's job is to provide support and
guidance to the client and family, to work with them to find services
available in the community and be a support to the client so he/she will
need a minimum of hospitalization and live in the least restrictive
environment.
Prevention -
Four County also focuses on prevention
programs. Parent Education
services provide information
to assist parents in all facets of the challenges of raising children.
Partners - As with all members of our community, Four County strives to
be a partner to other agencies, organizations, professionals, and citizens in
helping all people to live a healthy and normal life. Our particular role
in this endeavor is to assist in the emotional well being of all people and
their families. |
A Community
Mental Health Center - Four County Mental Health Center
is a private, not-for-profit organization, founded in 1964, committed to
providing comprehensive mental health services to the citizens of
Chautauqua, Elk, Montgomery, and Wilson Counties.
Four County is funded by State and county public funds,
service fees, contracts, and grants. Everyone is eligible for Four
County's services. Medicare, Medicaid and most private health insurances
are accepted. Fee discounts are available based on family income and the
number of family members dependent on that income.
History -
In years past, many people tended to
associate mental health services with persons who suffered from major
psychiatric problems. Today this misconception is disappearing as
people come to realize that good mental health is every bit as important as
good physical health. In fact, the two go hand-in-hand. It
is now commonplace for physicians, teachers, employers and even advice
columnists to recommend therapy or counseling services for a multitude of
life's every day problems. Almost everyone has occasions when they
could benefit from outside assistance with a problem they are facing.
Problems range from parenting, marriage, coping with loss, depression,
anxiety, or just handling a stressful situation at work. Just about
any circumstance which causes distress in an individual 's life may be a
reason for making an appointment for mental health services.
Mental Health Reform has
been in place since 1990, providing community based services for adult consumers
with severe and persistent mental illness and severely emotionally disturbed
children in order to maintain them in their home and community.
Specialized services to these populations have been developed since that time.
These services include case management, attendant care, psychosocial programs,
respite care, parent support, home-based family therapy, after-school and summer
programs, supported employment and education, clubhouse, and others.
Topeka State Hospital closed in June 1997 with 231 beds being
removed, leaving fewer than 400 beds in the state hospital system. As
hospital beds have diminished, the state has transferred funds to community
mental health centers to assist in paying for services provided in the
community. Mental health centers contract with county government and are
the local authority for public mental health care. Counties, through their
mental health centers, have accepted more responsibility for caring for those
with mental illness, as the federal and state governments delegate this
responsibility to local government.
Seriously
mentally ill persons are treated in the community because it is the natural
thing to do and because technology is available to treat such persons
successfully. All members of our community (businesses, schools,
landlords, employers, etc.) are dealing with persons with serious mental illness
as part of their daily lives. Community mental health programs
consequently deal more and more with issues of safety and security for clients
and communities, in addition to the traditional treatment that has always been
provided.
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