by Robin Govanlu, LMHN, LAC, LPC,
Chief of Behavioral Health,
Oak Orchard Health
Although many aspects of daily life appear to have returned to some sense of normalcy since the pandemic, there is an increasing impact and cultural shift in the need for mental health services, especially for children and adolescents. Since the start of the pandemic, Oak Orchard Health (OOH) continues to see the demand for behavioral health services on the rise, with limited resources to respond to that demand in the rural regions that we serve.
Since 2020 we have continued to see immense growth year after year with a 119% increase in all behavioral health visits and a 164% increase in pediatric visits since the start of the pandemic. Our Brockport and Albion sites are our largest volume sites serving many of our child and adolescent patients. Unfortunately, that has resulted in longer than usual wait times for an appointment. As a parent, we know how difficult that can be, so we’ve been partnering with many organizations to help improve this situation.
Oak Orchard Health has served as a lead agency for many years on the Western Monroe County Child and Adolescent Behavioral Health Coalition, which includes important community partners such as The University of Rochester Strong Pediatric Comprehensive Psychiatric Emergency Program (CPEP), Rochester Regional Health, SUNY Brockport, and the Brockport Central School District. The collective data from this coalition further demonstrates the need for expansion of pediatric behavioral health services in Western Monroe and Orleans Counties, and the surrounding areas as many families that live west of Rochester experience significant challenges with accessing care closer to home.
To adequately address the behavioral health crisis in our regions and keep more children out of the hospital we need more mental health services in our community and that’s where Oak Orchard comes in. Getting our young patients connected quickly to the services that they need is vital to their well-being and ongoing development. Therefore, OOH will be expanding child and adolescent behavioral health services at the Brockport Health Center and the Albion Wellness Center. This expansion will include hiring additional therapists with a specialty in pediatric behavioral health. We’ll also be hiring support staff and a Psychiatric Nurse Practitioner within the next year. Services can be provided in-person and through our telehealth program which allows for audio or video communication between the patient and mental health provider using their phone, laptop, or iPad.
Another goal is to reduce the wait from time of referral to time of intake to get kids and families the help they need sooner. With the new therapists hired in the coming months, we expect to be able to see new patients this summer. We plan to care for kids from as young as two to 21 years of age. Please share with others and we look forward to partnering with schools and parents in the area regarding the expansion of this program. We hope to make a major impact on the youth in the region.
If you have any questions or want to make an appointment for the July/August period, call Oak Orchard Health at 585-637-3905 extension 2102.
