SIOUX FALLS — A new free-standing mental health outpatient clinic just north of the Sioux Falls Veterans Administration Medical Center opened in the middle of a snowstorm more than a year ago.
Mental health is a top priority for the nation’s Department of Veterans Affairs and local facilities, and what has happened over the past year with more than 3,200 veterans assisted at new clinics has been nothing short of transformative. Ta.
“It’s a great place to start,” said Rachelle Burke, director of clinics and other mental health services, of the 16,000-square-foot building at 2505 W. 22nd Street in the middle of Sioux Falls.
Not only has she heard from veterans that the facility’s calm, serene atmosphere makes them feel safe, but also because it allows the team to “integrate, operate, and function as a better-oiled machine.” I also believe that it is helping us come together.
“Because of the design of the building, our veterans have told us that just walking inside makes them feel better,” Burke said.
A soundproofing system has been installed throughout the main hallway to maintain a quiet and calm atmosphere. Veterans have separate check-in and check-out areas, allowing for more private interaction with scheduling staff.
There is a dedicated space for group therapy sessions, which is a huge improvement over the past, when staff had to find a place to meet regularly. Improvements are also being made to areas for providing virtual care to veterans outside of the clinic.
As for staff, she said they were working hard to find space within the main hospital to provide as many services as possible. “People were pretty disparate,” she said, and that affected the care team.
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Now they are all in one area. The building houses psychology, psychiatry, substance abuse, medication management, vocational rehabilitation, peer support, suicide prevention, chaplaincy services, and case management for the more severely mentally ill.
The mental health clinic has a total team of about 70 people and provides support to veterans from eastern South Dakota and northwestern Iowa, as well as parts of Nebraska and Minnesota. .
Inpatient services are still provided at the hospital, with approximately 40 additional people caring for patients.
In addition, because of the facility’s large service area, mental health services are also provided at facilities in Watertown, Aberdeen and Dakota Dunes, as well as a smaller facility in Wagner, Burke said. Another clinic in Spirit Lake is located in northwest Iowa.
Veterans have a saying in medical practice: Don’t hide what you can see, but don’t hide what you can’t see. When it comes to dispelling the stigma people may feel when seeking help, that’s certainly the case for the staff and patients at the Veterans Center in Sioux Falls.
“We have some veterans who have bipolar disorder and schizophrenia, but we also have veterans who have depression and anxiety and tend to just live with it,” Burke said. Learn how to cure it and manage it in a way that makes it less difficult. ”
Others suffer from post-traumatic stress disorder, commonly referred to as PTSD, a condition seen in veterans who have faced traumatic experiences in their lives, whether in combat zones or for other reasons, she said. Ta. Clinic staff can diagnose and assist people with PTSD.
Suicide prevention is another way the clinic strives to help. Boosting this effort is a new step in about a year.
Last winter, the federal Department of Veterans Affairs implemented the COMPACT Act, which stands for Comprehensive Prevention, Care, and Treatment Access. Essentially, the measure approved by Congress is intended to pay for suicide-related treatment at VA facilities and other medical centers for people in crisis.
This benefit provides up to 30 days of inpatient or emergency inpatient treatment and 90 days or more of outpatient treatment if needed.
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We also provide free medicine and emergency transportation.
“I feel like some people don’t get help because they’re worried about the cost, and they go home without getting the help they need,” Burke said. “It really gives you the freedom of not having to worry about financial burdens.”
As the clinic enters its second year, several other improvements have been made to the new areas of the clinic, with more improvements to come.
For the convenience of veterans, a walkway for people with disabilities connecting the clinic and the main hospital was completed about a month ago. Our hospital also has a parking lot for patients. Burke believes some veterans may not be aware that the property is located so close to the building.
Although not directly part of the mental health service, a new hospice care cottage is being built next to the clinic and is expected to be completed this summer.
While these facilities are associated with end-of-life care, the new outpatient clinics offer hope to veterans who are trying to find peace, serenity and happiness amid trials and illness.
“We really try to reach out. We’re here for whatever their needs are,” Burke said.
