Southwestern Behavioral Healthcare expands Mental Health Access (12/16/2025)
Access to mental health care tops the headlines almost daily nationally and locally. What help is available in our area? Dr. Sullean Elamine is the chief medical officer and new by the way to to town from Southwestern Behavioral Healthcare. Welcome to Evansville. Welcome to the show. >> I appreciate it. Thank you so much. >> Well, thank you for weighing in on this topic that, you know, really does inhabit the headlines about the need for mental health care. And you have some great news to share with this walk-in program. >> I do. So, one, thank you for having me here. One, as you know, to to see a mental health provider can be a long time await. So, average about two months to see a psychiatrist, but right now in Evansville at where I work at, Southwestern Behavior Health, we can see you that same day. So, we have walk-in clinics, same day access, but we also can schedule it. I think that's important for the community in general and especially during these times. Um the holiday season represents a lot for many different people. Of course, it can represent positive things like gifts, meeting family, but it also is a time of loneliness. It also could be a time of difficult conversations. And we simply want to be there for the community during those times. >> And how do you manage that with the with the staff? How is that staffed for people? because it's that's a that's a huge uh offer to the community. >> Yes, it is. Well, we're in a unique situation where we're we're well staffed at my organization and we do a thing where we call triage patients. So, we make sure we get the patients needs and understand them and match them with the right provider. So, we allocate the patients appropriately. >> And are we going to see a psychiatrist and a psychologist both when we make our appointment? >> So, what we do is an assessment to see what your needs are. So, we want to hear from you and partner with you because not everybody wants medications. Not everybody wants therapy. We try to meet you where you're at. >> Well, that that's important, too. What about children? Because sometimes they can't speak their needs. What do you How do you serve them? >> Oh, come on. I'm a child psychiatrist. You're speaking my language. I wear Grinch socks right now. >> Those are great socks. He's got Grinch socks on. >> So, I Well, personally, we we love children, but I love children. And you you are absolutely right. They're they're not little adults. they do speak a different language and I would say we have a huge child and family service uh group where we offer all sorts of care not only for children but for parents so definitely we want to see children I want to see children >> well and adolescence as well so services there talk to us a bit about crisis services which are needed all the time >> yes I agree so that's one thing unique with uh southwestern behavior we offer a 24-hour crisis service simply you can just call up whatever your crisis may be. It doesn't have to be something as serious as um um suicide suicidal thought, excuse me, but it could be whatever that crisis is for you. We have someone on the line that can answer the phone for you and even go out to you if needed. >> Big help there. So, help us a bit through the holiday stress. Maybe we don't maybe we don't need uh psychiatrist, but we do all have some holiday even if it's good stress, right? >> Yes. Yes. Yes. So I'mma channel the child psychiatrist in me and I'm going say the letter G is the letter for the season. So G stands for grace, right? So show grace to people, gratitude, look for things to be happy about and thankful for and goodness. Now that may be all you remember right before you go into a difficult dinner with family. But that's what I say we'll f focus on. But simply put, if you hear a family member who is struggling with mental health, try to be empathetic. Try to listen. try to not judge and connect them with a professional >> and that's the power of grace right there indeed. And how do people reach out to you? >> So, thank you. Um, two easy ways. I would just say simply just go to our website which is southwestern.org. But, um, if you're in a crisis, there are two ways. Um, one to if you're in a suicidal crisis, reach out to 988. That's the suicide hotline. That'll get us as well. But we also do have a um a phone number 812422110. That's our crisis number. But you can just go to our website and schedule appointment or walk in any of our clinics. >> Thank you, doctor. We appreciate what you do. Thank you for nice to have you on the show. >> Thank you. >> We'll be back with more lifestyle right after this. Stay with us.
Southwestern Behavioral Healthcare expands Mental Health Access (12/16/2025)
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