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Mental health navigators help provide holistic care across Â鶹ÊÓƵ system
Â鶹ÊÓƵ is increasing the number of navigators to better serve patients and health plan members
Susan Fauls was in Â鶹ÊÓƵ Virginia Beach General Hospital for five days with pneumonia and a Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) infection. Fauls, 67, has longstanding health issues, including nasal cancer and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.
Fauls also suffers from depression. When Andrea Scott, the hospital’s behavioral health navigator, visited her room, she saw that Fauls needed mental health services. Scott helped her make an appointment with a therapist.
“It’s been a long road for me, and I could use better mental health,” said Fauls. “She was the bridge to therapy.”
Scott’s role, which is to serve as a resource for patients experiencing mental distress, is an important one, Fauls said.
“People in need often don’t seek it out," she said. “They need someone to come to them to guide them.”
Scott is one of three behavioral health navigators at Â鶹ÊÓƵ hospitals, with the others at Â鶹ÊÓƵ Norfolk General Hospital and Â鶹ÊÓƵ Leigh Hospital.
After successfully piloting the navigator role, Â鶹ÊÓƵ is expanding this position to all 12 Â鶹ÊÓƵ hospitals, with an on-site presence in 10 hospitals and a virtual presence at Â鶹ÊÓƵ Halifax Regional Hospital and Â鶹ÊÓƵ Martha Jefferson Hospital.
In addition, eight Â鶹ÊÓƵ behavioral health navigators will be stationed at non-Â鶹ÊÓƵ facilities across Virginia to serve the needs of .
The goal is to help our patients and health plan members get the right kind of care as quickly as possible, said Tracey Izzard-Everett, vice president of behavioral health, which includes mental health and substance abuse issues.
“There is still dire need for community behavioral health services,” said Izzard-Everett. “We want to create a bridge to resources at all levels and improve access to care.”
Roughly 23% of adults in the U.S. live with a mental illness, according to an . For adults aged 18-25, that figure jumps to about 36%.
Â鶹ÊÓƵ’s behavior health navigators partner with medical staff to connect patients to mental health providers, coordinate follow-up appointments, and address barriers to treatment, said Izzard-Everett. They provide their services in all medical units, including in emergency departments.
"We work to stabilize, complete the assessment, and help them get back to their homes and communities with appropriate resources and follow up care,” said Izzard-Everett.
By addressing mental health and substance abuse issues, behavioral health navigators enable Â鶹ÊÓƵ to offer holistic care, said Scott.
“We’re asking, ‘Where are you on your behavioral health journey and readiness for positive change? And how can we help support you in those personal goals and efforts?’” Scott said.
Somang Kim serves as behavioral health navigator at Â鶹ÊÓƵ Norfolk General Hospital. In his role, he connects people to resources they may not have known about. He also helps overcome the stigma surrounding mental health services.
“We want to make sure people have the wraparound services they need to thrive,” said Kim.
In addition, navigators also provide mental health services themselves, if appropriate.
Like Scott, Kim is a licensed therapist. Recently, he has been visiting a pregnant patient who has been told she may need to stay in the hospital until she gives birth. She has been unable to see her own therapist while in the hospital.
“I have provided weekly therapy to help her and give her an outlet,” Kim said.
Scott and Kim said the response to their work has been very positive.
Scott said she’s received phone calls from patients six or seven months after discharge.
Kim said both patients and medical staff have been “very appreciative”.
Learn more about Â鶹ÊÓƵ’s behavioral health services online.
Fauls also suffers from depression. When Andrea Scott, the hospital’s behavioral health navigator, visited her room, she saw that Fauls needed mental health services. Scott helped her make an appointment with a therapist.
“It’s been a long road for me, and I could use better mental health,” said Fauls. “She was the bridge to therapy.”
Scott’s role, which is to serve as a resource for patients experiencing mental distress, is an important one, Fauls said.
“People in need often don’t seek it out," she said. “They need someone to come to them to guide them.”
Scott is one of three behavioral health navigators at Â鶹ÊÓƵ hospitals, with the others at Â鶹ÊÓƵ Norfolk General Hospital and Â鶹ÊÓƵ Leigh Hospital.
After successfully piloting the navigator role, Â鶹ÊÓƵ is expanding this position to all 12 Â鶹ÊÓƵ hospitals, with an on-site presence in 10 hospitals and a virtual presence at Â鶹ÊÓƵ Halifax Regional Hospital and Â鶹ÊÓƵ Martha Jefferson Hospital.
In addition, eight Â鶹ÊÓƵ behavioral health navigators will be stationed at non-Â鶹ÊÓƵ facilities across Virginia to serve the needs of .
The goal is to help our patients and health plan members get the right kind of care as quickly as possible, said Tracey Izzard-Everett, vice president of behavioral health, which includes mental health and substance abuse issues.
“There is still dire need for community behavioral health services,” said Izzard-Everett. “We want to create a bridge to resources at all levels and improve access to care.”
Roughly 23% of adults in the U.S. live with a mental illness, according to an . For adults aged 18-25, that figure jumps to about 36%.
Â鶹ÊÓƵ’s behavior health navigators partner with medical staff to connect patients to mental health providers, coordinate follow-up appointments, and address barriers to treatment, said Izzard-Everett. They provide their services in all medical units, including in emergency departments.
"We work to stabilize, complete the assessment, and help them get back to their homes and communities with appropriate resources and follow up care,” said Izzard-Everett.
Overcoming stigma
By addressing mental health and substance abuse issues, behavioral health navigators enable Â鶹ÊÓƵ to offer holistic care, said Scott.
“We’re asking, ‘Where are you on your behavioral health journey and readiness for positive change? And how can we help support you in those personal goals and efforts?’” Scott said.
Somang Kim serves as behavioral health navigator at Â鶹ÊÓƵ Norfolk General Hospital. In his role, he connects people to resources they may not have known about. He also helps overcome the stigma surrounding mental health services.
“We want to make sure people have the wraparound services they need to thrive,” said Kim.
In addition, navigators also provide mental health services themselves, if appropriate.
Like Scott, Kim is a licensed therapist. Recently, he has been visiting a pregnant patient who has been told she may need to stay in the hospital until she gives birth. She has been unable to see her own therapist while in the hospital.
“I have provided weekly therapy to help her and give her an outlet,” Kim said.
Scott and Kim said the response to their work has been very positive.
Scott said she’s received phone calls from patients six or seven months after discharge.
Kim said both patients and medical staff have been “very appreciative”.
Learn more about Â鶹ÊÓƵ’s behavioral health services online.
By: Clancy McGilligan