Wabash Community Health Center Launching New Telepsychiatry Program

Wabash Community Health Center and Array Behavioral Care are pleased to announce a new partnership to increase access to behavioral health care for the residents of southern Illinois. This new program ensures individuals in these communities have access to timely, quality psychiatric care. Through this service, patients can connect with experienced and licensed telepsychiatry clinicians skilled at diagnosing and treating depression, autism, bipolar disorder, anxiety disorders, and schizophrenia. 

“The entire Wabash Community Health Center team works hard to provide the best possible health outcomes for the patients we serve,” said Cathy Ruth, Program Director of Wabash Community Health Center. “Mental health is a vital part of individual health and wellbeing, and we believe that telepsychiatry can help patients get the care that they need. There’s a great need for mental health services in our area, and we’re proud to improve access to care as we meet the health needs of the communities we serve. That’s why we’re excited to offer this new innovative service through our partnership with Array.”

As one of the earliest advocates of telepsychiatry more than 20 years ago, Array has advocated for updated policy and regulations that increase access to telepsychiatry in homes, hospitals, and primary care offices for patients and clinicians. Telepsychiatry is mental and behavioral health care delivered using real-time videoconferencing in a secure, private place. Research shows that the quality of care is maintained through telepsychiatry and has been found to be as effective as in-person care. Array’s telepsychiatry clinicians are licensed specialists and trained in providing quality care through technology. 

Wabash Community Health Center is a federally qualified health center located at The Depot in Mount Carmel, Illinois.  The onsite care team will connect seamlessly with Array’s s on-demand psychiatrist and psychiatric nurse practitioner. This virtual integration will enable Wabash Community Health Center clinicians and staff to work with a remote psychiatric specialist to conduct remote psychiatric consultations, prescribe medication, and deliver peer-to-peer consults resource to support strained and overextended in-person staff.

Telepsychiatry is a safe and effective way to meet the escalating need for behavioral care, especially in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic and the nationwide shortage of mental health professionals. There is a significant scarcity of mental health professionals throughout Illinois, causing many residents to not receive the treatment they need. According to research by the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services, only 24 percent of the need for mental health services is being met in Illinois. In Wabash County specifically, the ratio of population to mental health providers is 340:1.

“Wabash Community Health Center serves as a critical healthcare provider in southern Illinois and Array is pleased to partner with them to offer telepsychiatry services to the vital portion of the population who seek care with them,” said Jennifer Comerford, Vice President of Scheduled Care at Array. “Telepsychiatry is a great solution, in states and communities across the country where there is significant mental health need and a shortage of trained professionals.” 

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About Array

Array Behavioral Care is the nation’s leading clinician-centric virtual psychiatry and therapy practice with a mission to transform access to quality, timely behavioral health care. Array offers telepsychiatry solutions and services across the continuum of care, from hospital to home, through its OnDemand, Scheduled and AtHome divisions. For more than 20 years, Array has partnered with hundreds of hospitals and health systems, community health care organizations and payers of all sizes to expand access to care and improve outcomes for underserved individuals, facilities and communities. As an industry pioneer and established thought leader, Array has helped shape the field, define the standard of care and advocate for improved telepsychiatry-friendly regulations. To learn more, visit www.arraybc.com.

 

About Wabash Community Health Center

Wabash Community Health Center is a non-profit organization dedicated to providing quality, affordable health care to all members of our community - which means we treat patients regardless of their ability to pay for services.

Our health center provides primary care and behavioral health services and is located in Mt. Carmel, Illinois at 1001 N. Market Street. The Wabash Community Health Center received Federally Qualified Health Center (FQHC) look-alike status by Health Resources & Services Administration (HRSA). Federally Qualified Health Centers are community-based health care providers that receive funds from the HRSA Health Center Program to provider primary care services in underserved areas.

 

Masons Look To Relocate To Former Girl Scout Cabin

The Mt. Carmel City Council is looking to work with the local Masonic Lodge to move into the former Girl Scout Cabin at the top of the hill on Walnut Street.

Mason Yale Epler was at this evening’s city council meeting to report the long-time Masonic home in the 200 block of Market Street has become obsolete for the group. He said the enormous size of the building is much more space than is needed and utility costs also provide a burden.

The council agreed to begin drafting paperwork to allow the Masons to occupy the former Girl Scout Cabin that is currently vacant. The Bridges of Hope food ministry had previously been located there.

The Masons will pay for renovations to the interior of the building while the city will take care of exterior repairs. The agreement would be a long term deal with the city maintaining ownership of the building.

Epler said the Masons will look to sell their Market Street location.

2020 WSJD File Photo of Girl Scout Cabin. The city has since placed a new roof on the building.

Plans Unveiled For New 9th & Market Street Drive-Thru Coffee House

A new drive-thru coffee house is expected to open this summer on the northwest corner of 9th and Market Streets in Mt. Carmel. Rachel Wallace, who already owns and operates the Mt. Carmel Subway, was at this evening’s city council meeting to announce plans to open a Scooter’s Coffee hopefully sometime in mid-July. Wallace explained she is spending close to $1 million in acquiring the land and constructing the 660 square foot building that will house the drive-thru only business…

The city approved providing Wallace with $50,000 in TIF funds to aid in the opening of the new business.

Scooter’s is a chain coffee house with its’ first location opening in Nebraska in 1998. Now there are more than 450 Scooter’s locations around the U. S. In addition to the Mt. Carmel Subway, Wallace owns several other restaurants and businesses across southern Illinois.

Rachel Wallace shows City Commissioners Tom Meeks and Eric Ikremire plans for the new Scooter’s Coffee slated to open this summer at 9th and Market Streets.

City Attorney Warns Residents To Keep Grass Mowed

Mt. Carmel City Attorney Brady Waldroup is reminding residents to keep their yards mowed. He said he had already sent out letters for violations of the ordinance that calls for grass to be no more than 7 inches high. In the past, city officials said they are not patrolling looking for high grass violations but instead rely on the public to report the violations at which point a city representative will visit to confirm.

Commissioners Appropriate Spending For Street Maintenance Program

With road construction work beginning to ramp up, the Mt. Carmel City Council has appropriated just over $300,000 for the city’ motor fuel street maintenance program. City engineer Dave Dallas said the money will be used primarily in seven areas including oiling and chipping streets, paying for the electricity of traffic lights, and asphalting streets. Dallas said he has been driving city streets and alleys to determine which ones will be included in this year’s work. A list of the streets see work has not been released yet by the city.

City Council Poised To Approve FY 22-23 Budget

The Mt. Carmel City Council meets today at 5 at City Hall and the council is expected to approve the new budget for Fiscal Year 2022-23 that starts May 1st. Finance Commissioner Eric Ikemire reports that revenues during the current fiscal year have been very favorable for the city with 20 of 27 budget items coming in over what had been projected.

One of the biggest areas of growth has been the city’s share of video gaming. The city had budgeted to receive $60,000 from the gaming tax but as of April 4th, the city had already gotten well more than double that with over $142,000 coming in. In addition, the city’s share of the cannabis tax has come in more than 33% more than anticipated. Other budget over-achievers on the revenue side was the city’s income from the sales tax, state income tax, and the replacement tax which has already been more than double what was budgeted.

But while the revenue picture now is good, Mayor Joe Judge warned that the state has been considering almost 130 unfunded mandates to pass along to Illinois municipalities.

Locals Do Well At Joliet Livestock Judging

A great day Thursday at the Joliet Junior College Livestock Judging Contest! The team placed 2nd overall! With Gage Kennard coming in as 2nd overall high individual placing 5th in sheep and goats, 4th in swine, and 2nd in questions.


Our team got high team in sheep and goats, 3rd in swine, and 2nd in questions.


Great day for the team and we are super proud of them!

Pedestrian Killed In Clark County Crash

ILLINOIS STATE POLICE TRAFFIC CRASH ALERT  

The Following Preliminary Information is Being Released by

Illinois State Police District 12 

  WHAT:                      Pedestrian Fatal Traffic Crash           

  WHERE:                   North Cline Orchard Road just south of East 1400th Road, Martinsville, Clark County

 WHEN:                      April 12, 2022 at approximately 8:17 p.m.

 VEHICLE:                Unit 2 – 2018 White Ford Explorer

 DRIVER:                   Unit 2 – Megan R. Bennett, a 28-year-old female from Marshall, IL.

 PASSENGER:           A 2-year-old female from Marshall, IL.

 PEDESTRIAN:         A 49-year-old female from Indiana – Deceased                

PRELIMINARY:      A preliminary investigation indicates the following occurred: Unit 2 was traveling north on North Cline Orchard Road, just south of East 1400th Road, near Martinsville, IL., Clark County. Unit 2 struck a pedestrian that was walking in the roadway.  The pedestrian was pronounced deceased on scene by the Clark County Coroner. The name is being withheld pending next-of-kin notification.  The driver and passenger of Unit 2 reported no injuries.  The crash is still under investigation and no further information is available. 

Mt. Carmel Woman Arrested After Chestnut Street Incident

On 4/12/22, Mt. Carmel Police arrested Heather M. Hall, age 36, of Mt. Carmel, for Criminal Trespass to Residence following a complaint from a homeowner in the 500 block of Chestnut Street. The homeowner reported Hall entering his home just after 4:30am on this date without permission. One of the other residents in the home observed Hall leading to Hall exiting the home prior to police arrival. After further investigation, officers learned Hall believed she was entering the home of a friend. Hall was transported to the Wabash County Jail where she was charged and held pending a bond setting by a judge.

File Photo