JENNIFER: EARLIER THIS YEAR TWO MENTAL HEALTH GROUPS WALKED AND PART OF THE REASON WAS TO IMPROVE ACCESS TO PATIENTS, WHICH CAN OFTEN BE A STRUGGLE LIKE FINDING THE RIGHT KIND OF CARE. THIS IS WHAT WE ARE TALKING ABOUT THIS MORNING ON MARYLAND PEACE OF MIND. JOIN US AS PRESIDENT OF BLOOM HEALTH CENTERS. >> THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THE OPPORTUNITY. JENNIFER: TELL US ABOUT BLOOM. WHO WERE YOU BEFORE AND WHAT ARE YOU NOW? >> BLOOM HEALTH CENTERS BEGIN TO RESPOND TO ACCESS TO CARE. WE HAD A WONDERFUL OPPORTUNITY TO TAKE EXISTING PRACTICES INTO ACCOUNT AND BRING THEM TOGETHER TO IMPROVE ACCESS TO CARE IN MARYLAND AND VIRGINIA. JENNIFER: HOW CAN PEOPLE ACCESS THIS CARE? >> WE TRY TO REDUCE THE BARRIER AROUND NAVIGATION CARE. THE BEST WAY IS TO GO TO WWW.BLOOMHEALTHCENTERS.COM. YOU CAN CALL US. THE NUMBER IS THERE AND WE HAVE A TEAM SKILL WITH PATIENT CARE NAVIGATORS TO BE ABLE TO TAKE THE BURDEN OF NAVIGATING WHAT YOU NEED AND WHAT KIND OF CAROTENE YOU NEED. YOU CAN ALSO REQUEST AN APPOINTMENT FROM THE LINK OR EMAIL US BECAUSE AT THE END OF THE DAY WE WANT TO REDUCE ANYTHING THAT MAKES NAVIGATION DIFFICULT. WHAT YOU GET IS A FULL CARE TEAM. WE MAKE SERVICE COMP RANTS. THINK ABOUT THE STATE OF CARE PEOPLE NEED. WE HAVE A PSYCHIATRIST. THEY HAVE MADE A HUGE COMMITMENT TO CLOSING THE GAP IN CHILDREN’S ADOLESCENCE FORWARD TO THE GREATEST NUMBER OF CHILD PSYCHOLOGISTS. NAVIGATORS IN PATIENT CARE AND SOME EMERGING TECHNOLOGIES FOR DRUG RESISTANT DEPRESSION. JENNIFER: DO YOU ONLY TREAT WITH PEDIATRICS OR ALSO ADULTS? >> WE SEE EVERYONE FROM AGE FOR ALL THE WAY TO END OF LIFE OR SENIOR. WITH PSYCHIATRIST, PHYSICIAN ASSISTANTS, NURSE PRACTITIONERS, SOCIAL WORKERS, THERAPISTS. JENNIFER: THAT’S GREAT. SO YOU TAKE IT FROM SOMEONE WHO NEEDS THERAPY TO MAYBE SOMEONE WHO NEEDS MORE INTENSIVE TREATMENT. >> ABSOLUTELY. IT IS REALLY UNFAIR FOR US TO PUSH THE BURDEN OF NAVIGATING CARE ACCESS WITH THE PATIENT AT THE MOST CRITICAL MOMENT. WE HAVE APPROXIMATELY 781,000 PEOPLE WHO NEED CARE. AND I WILL TALK A LITTLE LATER ON THAT ONE OF THE OBSTACLES A — IS COST. THERE COULD BE THOUSANDS OF MARYLANDERS WHO BENEFIT FROM THESE SERVICES. JENNIFER: AND GO OUT AND TALK ABOUT IT BECAUSE COST IS AN ISSUE. HOW ARE YOU TRYING TO >> BRIDGE THE GAP FOR FAMILIES? >> TAKE AN INSURANCE. THIS IS PROBABLY THE FIRST THING WE CAN DO. WE SEE A CERTAIN NUMBER OF FAMILIES WHO HAVE TO DECIDE WHETHER OR NOT TO KEEP MY CHILD, SAME OR SPOUSE. IT’S A SERIES OF COMPROMISES THEY CAN ONLY PAY CASH FOR CARE. IT CREATES A BARRIER. THE FIRST THING WE DO IS GET INSURANCE. JENNIFER: HOW LONG DO YOU COME BACK TO SOMEBODY? IF SOMEONE NEEDS YOUR SERVICES RIGHT NOW, HOW LONG DO YOU JOIN? >> ON THE DAY YOU CALL, WE OFTEN HAVE SAME DAY APPOINTMENTS BUT WE COMMIT TO SEEING PEOPLE WITHIN SEVEN DAYS. AS SOON AS YOU MAKE THE CALL, WE WORK ON YOUR NEEDS AND SET YOU UP WITH THE CARE TEAM WITHIN SEVEN DAYS OR SO SOON. JENNIFER: AND COMPANYING YOU WITH THE SAME PERSON MUST BE EXTREMELY IMPORTANT. >> VERY YOU MUST BE ABLE TO – THIS IS A HIGH TRUST RELATIONSHIP SO YOU MUST BE ABLE TO SEE THAT THE PERSON ON THE OTHER END OF THE LINE IS CAPABLE OF HELPING YOU AND YOU MUST BE ABLE TO GET ONE IN PERSON NEEDED OR TELL- THEM, WE MUST MEET YOU WHERE YOU ARE. WE HAVE DONE A REALLY USEFUL JOB NOT ONLY ADAPTING THE DIVERSITY, THE LOCATIONS, BUT ALSO THE CORRESPONDENCE OF WHERE YOU ARE IN LIFE AND YOUR PHASE IN THE JOURNEY. JENNIFER: FANTASTIC. AND THE INFORMATION IS ON YOUR SCREEN, MAKING PEOPLE FIND YOU EASILY. THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR JOINING US THIS MORNING.
Bloom Health Centers seek to meet increased need for mental health services
Updated: 9:39 a.m. EDT September 6, 2022
Earlier this year, two mental health care groups merged and became Bloom Health Centers. Part of the reason was to improve patient access, which can often be difficult, as is finding the right kind of care. Lorraine Riche, president of Bloom Health Centers, discusses the increased need for mental health services.
BALTIMORE—
Earlier this year, two mental health care groups merged and became Bloom Health Centers. Part of the reason was to improve patient access, which can often be difficult, as is finding the right kind of care. Lorraine Riche, president of Bloom Health Centers, discusses the increased need for mental health services.
