Philadelphia Opens First Urgent Care for Mental Health

A new urgent care clinic just for mental health care and wellness needs has opened in Philadelphia.

The Merakey Mental Health Walk-In Clinic will service adults 18 and older who need same-day mental health care that is not an emergency, such as quick counseling sessions, psychiatric evaluations, referrals, and more.

It’s the first and only mental health urgent care provider in the city of brotherly love.

“If you’re just feeling down, like you’re just not able to get out of bed the way you used to be able to, or you’re feeling overwhelmed, maybe you’ve had a loss in the family, or maybe you’ve gone through a traumatic incident. We know unfortunately trauma is very prevalent in our city. This would be a place to get started in recovery and in your journey.” Mark O’Dwyer, Merakey’s executive director for mental health outpatient services, told Good Day Philadelphia.

Staff at the urgent care clinic will offer support for conditions like depression, anxiety, stress, grief and mood disorders. For patients who aren’t in crisis but still need a higher level of care for mental health or are struggling with substance abuse, the clinic is equipped to provide same-day hand-offs to nearby treatment programs and services.

The facility itself features cozy couches and chairs and soft rugs in exam rooms with calming, peaceful music playing in the waiting room, which features artwork from local Philadelphia artists. The clinic is funded and run through a partnership between the city and the mental health services provider, Merakey, a national non-profit provider of developmental, behavioral health, and education services.

Centers like Philly’s new urgent care clinic are sorely needed in several communities. The World Health Organization (WHO) reported that in 2019, 15 percent of adults were diagnosed with a mental disorder and the percentage has only risen since the Covid-19 pandemic, which triggered a 25 percent increase in anxiety disorders. More effort is being made to integrate mental health care into primary care visits and even in the workplaces. Still, prevailing stigmas and false information around mental health can prevent people from seeking necessary care. This is especially true in some Black communities where the topic of mental wellness is still considered to be taboo. Add to that the lack of access to facilities and doctors who can properly treat a mental health crisis or provide counseling and care, in urban communities, it’s difficult for African Americans to know where to start in order to begin a mental wellness journey.

That’s why in addition to treating the city for non crisis issues, the Merakey clinic also hopes to raise awareness in the Philadelphia community about mental health care and educate other city departments on how to prioritize behavioral health needs.

“For far too long, the barriers to mental health services have been many,” Marquita Williams, interim commissioner of the city Department of Behavioral Health and Intellectual disAbility Services, told the Philadelphia Tribune. “We know that this clinic will make a difference in our city. We know that this clinic will make a difference for many individuals. We know that this clinic will make a difference for families. We know that this clinic will save lives.”

The Merakey Mental Health Walk-In Clinic officially opens its doors on 3125 N. Broad St. on Sep. 3.

Need help? Call or text Suicide and Crisis Lifeline: 988.

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Philadelphia Opens First Urgent Care for Mental Health was originally published on elev8.com