Behavioral Health
We do NOT offer crisis services. Please go the hospital, dial 911 or call the 988 Suicide and Crisis Hotline in case of emergency.
Behavioral health services are offered in partnership with our primary care providers onsite and through telehealth. Services are for established Rural Health patients only. Appointment availability and location vary depending on the service needed. Please see cancellation policy below.
Services Offered
- Brief Solution Based Therapy: 20-30 minute sessions with a Behavioral Health Consultant (licensed psychotherapist), typically over four to six weeks, upon request by Rural Health providers. This service is offered at the center the Primary Care Provider is located at (costs covered by most insurances, sliding fee discount available). Providers can request a visit on the same day as a medical/dental visit to work on changing behaviors to improve or prevent illness. Examples include coping with grief, managing panic symptoms, decreasing depressive symptoms, improving sleep habits, learning ADHD coping skills, and identifying barriers to physical health management (such as nutrition and remembering to take medication). Call your center for an appointment. Same day sessions may be available.
- Psychiatry Services: Evaluations to see if medications are recommended and visits to ensure patient is taking meds and using them effectively. First visits must be in person, telehealth may be offered after the first visit. Psychiatric care focuses on diagnosing and treating mental illness. We strongly advise patients also participate in traditional therapy with an outside psychotherapist or counseling with our licensed Behavioral Health Consultants. Patients participating in behavioral health services outside of Rural Health should sign a Release of Information (ROI) for care coordination purposes. Call 757-331-1086 and ask for Tamika to make an appointment.
- Behavioral Health Care Coordinator: Our coordinator works with patients to help them get needed services we don’t offer (see list below).
Services Not Offered
- Crisis services. You must be stable to be seen. See Other Resources section below.
- Residential (treatment community), inpatient (in a hospital setting), or short-term intensive mental health services.
- Partial-hospitalization programs or ‘step-down’ services for patients just released from in-patient care.
- Therapy for persons with eating disorders with a Body Mass Index less than 18.
- Any specialty behavioral health service for which we don’t currently have a trained Behavioral Health Consultant (for example, Cognitive Processing Therapy for PTSD).
- Couples therapy, family therapy, or group therapy.
- Treatment to overcome fear of an object, situation or activity requiring home visits.
- Court-ordered therapies.
- Therapies for severe developmental disabilities or cognitive impairment (memory loss for example) unless the Behavioral Health Consultant has received special training.
- The following assessment/evaluation services:
- Parental fitness, custody, or divorce evaluations.
- ADHD evaluations for persons 18+.
- Intellectual disability or developmental disability evaluations.
- Functional evaluations to determine ability to make rational choices.
- Evaluations or testing solely for the purpose of gaining disability services.
- Capacity evaluations evaluating ability to perform certain functions.
- Court-ordered or forensic evaluations for legal purposes.
- Testing/evaluations not primarily intended to help us deliver needed care.
For emergencies CALL/TEXT 911 or GO TO AN EMERGENCY DEPARTMENT IMMEDIATELY! We do not offer holiday or after-hours Behavioral Health phone coverage.
Other Resources
- Nationwide Suicide and Crisis Lifeline – text and chat, to access text AYUDA to 988, or chat online.
- Eastern Shore Community Services Board 24-hour Crisis Services – call 757-442-7707 or 1-800-764-4460.
Cancellation Policy
- If you cannot come to your appointment, please call to cancel/reschedule at least 24 hours in advance to avoid this being counted as a ‘no show’. This policy is important to allow us to schedule other patients who may be on a waiting list.
- Patients missing three appointments in one year will get a letter to schedule a no-show counseling appointment before any more appointments can be made. Our Behavioral Health Care Coordinator will assist patients with situations preventing them from attending appointments (arranging rides, for example).