Goal:

To serve the behavioral health needs of Garrett County residents.

Strategy Description:

Facilitate access to quality care through service delivery at the Garrett County Health Department clinics.

Level of Change:

Systems

Primary Focus Area:

Behavioral Health: including Substance Abuse and Mental Health

Data Category Tag:

GCHD Behavioral Health

Strategic Planning Alignment:

Customer Service

Estimated Implementation Date:

2017-01-01

Estimated Completion Date:

2022-12-31

Estimated Ease of Implementation:

Moderate

Estimated Cost of Implementation:

High

Potential Community Benefit:

Very High

Health Equity:

Low-income patients are getting better access to care, reducing the need for acute care, such as emergency room visits.  Patients are more regularly getting better access to mental health services.

Research:

What is behavioral therapy? Behavioral therapy is an umbrella term for types of therapy that treat mental health disorders as well as substance abuse disorder. This form of therapy seeks to identify and help change potentially self-destructive or unhealthy behaviors. It functions on the idea that all behaviors are learned and that unhealthy behaviors can be changed. The focus of treatment is often on current problems and how to change them. Who can benefit from behavioral therapy? Behavioral therapy can benefit people with a wide range of disorders. People most commonly seek behavioral therapy to treat: depression anxiety panic disorders anger issues It can also help treat conditions and disorders such as: eating disorders post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) bipolar disorder ADHD phobias, including social phobias obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD) self-harm substance abuse Is behavioral therapy effective? Behavioral therapy has successfully been used to treat a large number of conditions. It’s considered to be extremely effective. How to find a behavioral therapist? Finding a therapist can feel overwhelming, but there are many resources that make it easier. When finding a provider, you can choose from: social workers faith-based counselors non-faith-based counselors psychologists psychiatrists You should make sure that the provider you choose has the necessary certifications and degrees. Some providers will focus on treating certain conditions, such as eating disorders or depression. If you don’t know how to get started finding a therapist, you can ask your doctor for a recommendation. They may recommend you to a psychiatrist if they think you might benefit from medication. Psychiatrists are able to write prescriptions for medication. Most insurance plans will cover therapy. Some providers offer scholarships or sliding-scale payment for low income individuals. A therapist will ask you many personal questions about yourself. You will know you have found the right therapist if you feel comfortable talking to them. You may have to meet with several therapists before you find the right one.   More information on this topic can be found at: https://www.healthline.com