In Virginia and across the country, the continued need for mental health services has never been higher.
As a community-focused facility, EPIC Health Partners provides a wide range of evidence-based mental and behavioral health support for children and adults. Founded in Danville, Virginia, in 2015 with just three workers, the organization has since expanded into additional Martinsville and Richmond sites, now employing more than 125 staff members.
Even in light of such growth, the demand for services is outpacing the number of available providers.
“The biggest rise we’ve seen in the 18 months I’ve been here is the need for substance abuse services,” says Veronica Onsurez-Pannell, EPIC’s senior behavioral health director. “The closest detox facility to us is two hours away, so transportation and wait times quickly become a problem.”
Amid a comprehensive menu of personalized services that cover psychiatry, outpatient therapy, mental health skill building, addiction recovery and in-home care, EPIC partners believe in treating the whole patient to uncover and address deeper issues that may be affecting their overall well-being.
“One of our goals is to avoid the overburden of hospitalization and unnecessary hospitalizations for patients in crisis who are experiencing acute psychiatric episodes,” Onsurez-Pannell says.
Patients find their way to EPIC through a number of different avenues, including the national 988 crisis line and walk-in hours Monday through Friday.
“We work with a lot of partners in the community; we get referrals from social services, juvenile justice, hospitals, homeless shelters and schools,” says Bevin Lovelace, EPIC’s chief operations officer. “People also hear about us through word of mouth.”
An inability to recognize the need for mental health support and not knowing where to get it are common barriers for many people who could benefit from EPIC interventions.
“Communication is another factor,” Lovelace says. “It’s often difficult for patients to verbalize what a crisis looks like for them. Being able to truly understand what they need and link them to the appropriate services can be challenging.”
To increase access to care, EPIC coordinators can help arrange transportation across its geographic service area if needed.
“Insurance companies will sometimes cover a patient’s transportation costs,” Onsurez-Pannell says. “If not, we have a driver who will pick them up in the Martinsville and Danville areas. We really like to put our eyes on the patient whenever possible because we feel it makes for a better connection.”
EPIC accepts most insurance for its outpatient programs and is willing to work with patients who need to find alternative payment sources. The organization’s community-based programs are funded through Medicaid.
Although both Lovelace and Onsurez-Pannell feel the mental health care community has made great strides to reduce the stigma surrounding the need for services in recent years, they say there’s still a long way to go.
“We haven’t yet accepted mental health as an illness that can be treated like cancer or diabetes, especially when it comes to addiction and substance abuse,” Onsurez-Pannell says. “The more we can normalize the idea that it’s OK to not be OK and that you’re not weak for needing help, the more access will improve.”
For more information about EPIC Health Partners, call 434.835.4601 or visit epichealthpartners.com. If you or a loved one are in immediate need of mental health services and support, please call the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline.
