All-Female Led Clinic Caters To Wide Range Of Mental Health Needs – CBS Denver


All-Female Led Clinic Caters To Wide Range Of Mental Health Needs – CBS Denver

AURORA, Colo. (CBS4)– A new mental health clinic catering solely to women, opened its doors in Aurora Thursday. The HealthONE Behavioral Health and Wellness Center is the first of its kind for Colorado.

Located on the campus of the Medical Center of Aurora, the all-female led clinic caters to a wide range of mental health needs.

“There are two inpatient units for postpartum depression in the country. One’s in North Carolina, one is in New York, so it’s really exciting to have this here where there’s inpatient support available for moms because it’s really the first thing on the western side of the country,” said Dr. Jennifer Harned Adams, a psychologist for the center of maternal health at the Rocky Mountain Hospital for Children.

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The new clinic means Adams has more resources for her patients. She plans to collaborate with the hospital to make sure her patients have access.

Adams says while there’s a need for more mental health resources in general, when it comes to women’s specific issues, like postpartum depression, resources are slim.

“I think one reason is, women don’t necessarily realize that it’s okay to get help. They don’t necessarily realize what they’re experiencing is out of the ordinary or worthy of receiving help and that there’s help available,” she said.

Adams is also the director of the Colorado chapter of Postpartum Support International (PSI), a non-profit created specifically to help women navigate mental health resources and help health care providers navigate specific issues.

She says the PSI community is thrilled to be able to add the new behavioral health clinic to its list of resources.

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“Coordinating services for moms in a way that’s supportive when they have a baby is really critical. It’s very difficult to find a place where baby can stay on the unit or even just have free visiting access to mom.”

While the clinic offers intensive outpatient services, it has 20 beds for inpatient needs. There are also opportunities to benefit from through group therapy sessions.

“I think, when a female comes here and she knows that there are more moms that might be struggling with the exactly what she is struggling through. Together they can build some resilience,” said Monica Uppal, an intern with the clinic and a first year psychology resident.

But it’s not just mental health treatment for moms. The clinic, which accepts Medicaid, offers treatment to women with all backgrounds, from all walks of life. While it’s part of the Aurora Medical Center Campus it’s is designed to be less sterile than your typical hospital setting.

(credit: CBS)

“We want this to be a very safe environment for them to be able to express themselves and for them to be able to get the important treatment that they need. Sometimes that requires psychopharmacology treatment, that requires medications for that stabilization,” said Uppal.

Uppal says she has found in her studies, growing evidence that there’s a difference in mentalities when it comes to mental health treatment of women and men.

“Just having all female patients here, that brings down the anxiety that I usually see with my patients when they may be a little apprehensive to go into more detail about the circumstances that brought them to hospitalization,” said Uppal.

The hope is that the success of this clinic influences more hospitals to invest in similar services.

HealthONE has invested upwards of $25 million over the past five years in the growth and development of these behavioral health services in Denver and says while it’s been a serious undertaking, it’s been necessary to meet community need.

While the facility is open 24/7 and accepts walk-ins, you can connect immediately with a counselor at any time by calling Colorado Crisis Services.


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