The Behavioral Health unit at Maria Parham Franklin in Louisburg offers resources for and treatment of a variety of health issues, from mild dementia in older adults to substance abuse and bipolar disorder.

For Jason Roberts, behavioral health director for the in-patient facility, people struggling with mental health problems need to know they aren’t alone in the battle they face. “How you start to heal,” Roberts told John C. Rose, “is you talk about it.” Someone who goes to hospital with a heart attack, for example, gets wraparound care and follow-up treatment to make sure good health is restored, he said during Wednesday’s Town Talk. Mental health also deserves that wraparound treatment and follow-up care. “That’s what we do here,” he added.

The facility has 13 beds for patients 55 years and older; there are 20 beds for adults 18-54, he added. The geriatric side mostly handles mild to moderate dementia patients; the majority of the adults are experiencing a dual diagnosis – a mental health disorder coupled with a substance use problem.

“We are meeting people at their most vulnerable,” Roberts explained. Most referrals are made through the local hospital emergency departments, he said. The “trauma-informed model of care” uses group therapy as part of treatment. “Sharing is a part of recovery,” Roberts said, adding that it “helps the patient know they’re not alone in what they’re going through.”

Podcast of Jason Roberts on TownTalk

Although relatively short stays are the norm – 5 to 7 days for adults and up to 14 days for those who are in the geriatric program – Roberts said the goal is crisis stabilization with a plan for follow-up care.

A team of providers work together to develop a swift medicine management plan of care and provide a range of treatments including individual sessions, group therapy and recreational therapy, all designed to help the patients interact with others and to reassure them they aren’t alone.

Roberts has been at Maria Parham Franklin for about one year, and said a goal for the immediate future is to continue to improve the follow-up, wraparound care that patients often need to be successful.

“For so long, we’ve looked at mental health and behavioral health as things we don’t talk about,” Roberts said. “That’s the crux of the issue — we don’t talk about it. We don’t talk about the reason people are going through what they’re going through. It’s important to talk about how you feel, because it’s how you start to heal,” he said.

The unit is looking to hire nurses, psychiatric technicians and a recreational therapist, Roberts said.  An “interview day” will be held on Mar. 29 and those interested in participating can schedule an interview, he added. There will be additional information on social media and traditional media outlets closer to the date. “We’re looking for some talent and anyone who has experience in the field,” he added.

To learn more, visit https://www.mariaparhamfranklin.com/services/behavioral-health.

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(Maria Parham is a paying advertising client of WIZS.  This is not a paid ad.)