When Shekethia Boone began her journey at Monarch as a traveling nurse almost two years ago, she was expecting a temporary eight-week position. Little did she know she would fall in love with the role, the staff and the impact she has at our Wake Behavioral Health Urgent Care (BHUC), a walk-in service for children and adults experiencing a mental health or substance use crisis.
Monarch leadership recognized Shekethia’s warmth, dedication and genuine passion for helping people in crisis — being the light that people need to feel safe, seen and cared for during vulnerable moments. After six months on the team as a traveling nurse, Monarch welcomed Shekethia full-time as a Registered Nurse (RN) at our Wake BHUC.
“We keep people from falling through the cracks. When we can do the work, we do the work and we keep one less person from going back to the hospital so they can go forth in their treatment plans to get in a better place,” said Shekethia. “That is why I believe places like BHUC are so important for the community.”
As Monarch prepares to expand behavioral health crisis services to Cabarrus County later this year with the opening of the Stephen M. Morris Behavioral Health Center (SMMBHC), which will include both an Adult BHUC and a Youth BHUC, Shekethia shines a light on the services, compassionate support and person-centered care that can be expected during a visit.
Q: What drew you to work in behavioral health?
“One, I love people and I love to support them. That’s the first thing. My middle brother, who is now deceased, dealt with mental health challenges. I’ve always been intrigued about how the mind works, what makes people tick.”
“Helping care for my brother growing up — of course, he’s older — was one of the things that led me to mental health, because he had a mental health crisis. It’s not discussed that often in the community and is shunned. So, if I could be that light to help others and educate them, to let them know, no, you’re not crazy because you’re not feeling well or feeling your best, or you don’t know how to process your feelings, I will continue to be that light.”
Q: Can you describe what a typical day looks like in your role?
“A typical day for me starts with getting settled and giving my team positive affirmations. Every day I let them know it’s going to be a great day, despite the weather, our feelings or even if patients are meeting us at the door.”
“When patients come in, since this is a walk‑in service, I spend my time triaging, assisting the admin if they need me and helping patients who aren’t quite sure why they’re here. If our services are the right fit for what they’re experiencing, I spend time getting to know their needs — medical, mental health or whatever they may be lacking — and help fill that void or point them to the right resource.”
Q: What do you do that helps create a safe, supportive environment?
“I don’t come from an approach of judgment. I come from an approach of empathy that I’m here to help and support them in the best way that they will allow me to. I create that space by providing privacy, letting them know it’s okay to express their needs and concerns. It’s a free zone here.”
“Sometimes people feel judged because they may not smell the best, they may not look the best, their clothes may not look appealing; taking that fear away by giving them a hug or saying something kind is how I create that safe space.”
“If they ask for something, I’ll try my best to meet it. A young lady recently said, ‘I haven’t taken a shower, I need deodorant.’ I got her a care package with what we had and encouraged her. Those small things — just never being judgmental —, always showing we’re here to help, we’re here to serve.”
Q: What is the most rewarding aspect of your role and why?
“The most rewarding aspect is that I get to be a light each and every day, whether it’s a light of kindness, a light of just a little bit of grace, a light of hope or a light of love.”
“Sometimes I get to share my story because I relate, especially with some of the teens that come in that are suffering from depression or bullying or feel overwhelmed with schoolwork. I get to share my personal stories and let them know that they’re not alone.”
Q: Can you share a meaningful or memorable moment from your time at Monarch?
“I have many memorable moments, but one that stands out was a young woman who came in unsure of what she needed. Her child had been taken away and she was extremely distressed.”
“She began sharing her story and said, ‘I’m not a bad mother. I don’t abuse my child.’ And I told her, ‘There’s no judgment here.’ She explained that she had to go to court and needed an assessment to determine whether there were any mental health concerns.”
“We agreed that an outpatient comprehensive clinical assessment would be the best next step. I came out to the lobby to personally explain the process and encouraged her to stay for the assessment. She broke down in tears and began crying in my arms.”
“She came back two days later to thank me and shared that she was getting her child back. That was one of the happy, memorable moments that has stayed with me.”
Q: What makes you proud to be part of the Monarch team?
“What makes me proud to be a part of this wonderful Monarch team is I get to have autonomy in my role every day. To me, that says they trust me.”
“I have a great rapport with the providers I work with and they trust my judgement. Together, we create a culture of safety and have each other’s back when it counts.”
“I love being a part of the culture here, we’re one cohesive family, even though we all come from different walks of life and disciplines that serve the people in this community. That’s what I love most about this role and being a part of this team.”
Q: What do you wish people understood about behavioral health urgent care?
“I wish people knew the work that we do here. Mental health is not spoken about as much as it should be. There’s a lot of misinformation and undereducation about mental health.”
“People often put it in a smaller scope of anxiety or depression, when it could be much bigger. They might see the homeless man on the corner talking to himself, but they don’t know that sometimes that could be an untreated mental illness.”
“I really wish people knew more about the scope of mental illness — exactly what we deal with, the severity of the situations we see and why our processes are the way they are.”
Q: Why does having local crisis support matter for a community?
“I believe local crisis support matters for a local community because of access. So many people we serve don’t have a place like BHUC to go to. A lot of people are afraid of the hospital setting because it’s hard to navigate and it’s very hard to tell if people really care or if you’re just another number.”
That need for informed, specialized behavioral health crisis support is being addressed with the services that will be offered at the SMMBHC. “If we can use our specialized skill set to bridge that gap and divert them from repeated hospitalizations by connecting them to outpatient, psychiatric or medical services, along with the tools and resources they may need, I think that is one of the best things that we do here.”
Shekethia’s perspective offers a deeper understanding of the compassionate care provided at BHUC. “The most rewarding aspect is that I get to be a light every day, whether it’s a light of kindness, a light of just a little bit of grace, a light of hope, a light of love.”
Monarch looks forward to bringing that same level of light, hope and care to Cabarrus County and surrounding communities later this year. To learn more about the SMMBHC and the crisis services that will be offered there, visit ProgressStartsHere.org.