This is an archived article that was published on sltrib.com in 2016, and information in the article may be outdated. It is provided only for personal research purposes and may not be reprinted.
Low-income residents can now receive mental-health care and primary medical care under the same roof at the Cornerstone Counseling Center.
Volunteers of America's (VOA) Utah branch, in conjunction with Salt Lake County and the Utah Department of Health, announced Thursday the integration strategy "to provide better outcomes for vulnerable and uninsured individuals in Utah."
Kathy Bray, president of VOA Utah, said the new program is a more holistic approach and recognizes that mental health affects physical health and vice versa.
Many barriers to proper health care exist for low-income and uninsured individuals in Utah, she said. They include the ability to afford health care, transportation, child care and mental issues that may keep people from seeking proper health care.
"VOA Utah is working to eliminate as many barriers to care as possible for these vulnerable individuals," Bray said.
The co-location and integration of primary care with behavioral health at the Cornerstone Counseling Center, 447 W. Bearcat Dr. (2200 South), includes a small medical clinic that is expected to grow quickly.
It will be staffed by physicians and other health care professionals from the Utah Department of Health, said Steve Ipsen, director of clinics.
The Cornerstone Counseling Center offers mental health evaluations and treatment, as well as therapy for substance abuse and domestic violence — for men, women and children.
VOA serves about 9,000 people annually, said spokeswoman DeAnn Zebelean. It's not clear, however, how many clients will use the medical clinic in the coming year, she said.
"Our goal is to build awareness of this offering so that individuals struggling with addiction, mental health [problems] and domestic violence, who might not otherwise be able to afford proper health care will seek out treatment from Volunteers of America," Zebelean said.
Clients presently using the mental health care programs at Cornerstone can simply walk down the hall for medical care. The new clinic is made possible by several grants, including funding from Salt Lake County and state government.
Many of VOA's clientele who suffer from mental illness and substance-abuse disorders also have chronic illnesses such as hypertension, diabetes, obesity and cardiovascular disease, said Mark Manazer, CEO of VOA Utah.
Those conditions often are exacerbated by poor health habits. And, when left untreated, can lead to a much earlier death.
Tim Whalen, director of behavioral health for Salt Lake County, called the new clinic "an amazing opportunity."
The key is the partnerships involved, he said. "What we can do together is so much greater than what we can do alone."
VOA Utah is a nonprofit organization that serves Utah's most vulnerable individuals suffering from homelessness, addiction or mental illness. It has about 150 paid staff members and more than 1,600 volunteers. For more information, visit the website at voaut.org.