Last week, the Guam Behavioral Health and Wellness Center welcomed Shanta’i McDermott, a doctor of nursing practice and dual-certified provider, to their network of providers. A move that GBHWC Director Carissa Pangelinan said helps fill the shortage of specialized, practicing psychiatric medicine professionals on the island.
Currently, GBWHC has one provider who specializes primarily in primary care and two psychiatric care providers.
“Now Dr. McDermott is the second provider that offers both perspectives. This is a critical step forward, as mental health care is health care, and having this shared perspective allows our providers to treat the whole person,” Pangelinan said.
According to a release from GBWHC, McDermott specializes in adult gerontology primary care and psychiatric mental health across the lifespan.
Pangelinan said her addition to the team is a “pivotal step” in “whole-person care.”
“Our mission is to provide inclusive, quality services that strengthen the well-being of our community, and her unique ability to manage the intersection of physical and mental health needs is a major win for the families we serve,” Pangelinan said.
“Today, that standard means paying attention to not only the mind and behaviors, but also how those factors play a role in physical well-being and vice versa. Again, mental health care is health care, and the focus of our providers demonstrates this,” Pangelinan added.
McDermott has already begun seeing various patients, new and existing, Pangelinan shared, noting GBWHC providers see a minimum of seven patients per day.
While McDermott brings 12 years of experience providing patient-centered care that seamlessly integrates medical and psychiatric expertise, Pangelinan recognizes this is her first time working with Pacific Islanders.
“McDermott comes to us having served in tribal settings in Alaska. While this is different than working with Pacific Islander populations, she brings with her the experience of attending to cultural heritage and beliefs in her care and treatment,” Pangelinan said.
The director said adding providers is always a benefit, as the behavioral health workforce shortage at its peak resulted in patients waiting up to six months for an appointment.
“With the addition of both Dr. McDermott and Dr. McLawhorn, as well as our efforts partnering with the University of New Mexico to bring psychiatric residents to Guam, we have already begun to see those wait times down,” Pangelinan said.
Pangelinan said the most common mental health conditions currently treated at GBHWC are depression, anxiety, and trauma.
She said these “are always among the highest concerns, especially given Guam’s high suicide rate. We also see high rates of ‘self-medicating’ with alcohol, meth, and tobacco, including vape products, being the most utilized substances.”
Pangelinan said GBWHC officials weren’t surprised to see an increase in suicides following the COVID-19 pandemic.
“Particularly among children, as a result of the pandemic. Suicide rates are lower than their peak more than 10 years ago but are still at alarming rates,” she said.
Pangelinan said the need for behavioral health services is growing.
“Demand is growing. Prior to the pandemic, GBHWC averaged approximately 3,000-3,500 clients annually. Most recently, this number has increased to approximately 4,500 annually. More than this, we’ve also seen not just the increase in demand, but also an increase in the types of services,” she said.