What’s orange and white, measures 29 feet on wheels and delivers confidential mental health and substance use disorder (SUD) services? The Monarch Mobile Integrated Care Clinic!
In 2022, Monarch launched its first Mobile Integrated Care Clinic in collaboration with Trillium Health Resources. This initiative aims to provide essential mental health and SUD services to residents in rural areas, including Gates, Halifax, Nash and Northampton counties in North Carolina. The Mobile Integrated Care Clinic services follows a rotating schedule by county visiting key community locations.
Key Services Provided by Monarch’s Mobile Clinic
The Mobile Integrated Care Clinic offers a variety of mental health and substance use disorder services, such as:
- Mental health screenings
- Substance use disorder treatment
- Medication-Assisted Treatment (MAT) for opioid use disorders, combining medication, counseling and behavioral therapy
- Care management with an integrated team approach
- Peer support
Improving access to care in rural communities
Lyndril Leonard, a Monarch expert in outpatient behavioral health, believes the mobile clinics will be impactful in offering accessible mental health services to individuals in rural areas. She emphasizes that the mobile clinics reduce healthcare barriers by bringing high-quality services to areas with limited access to care.
“The mobile clinics will help bridge the gap where none existed before, making it easier for individuals to receive treatment from qualified care providers,” Lyndril shares.
Addressing the substance use crisis in North Carolina
The need for mental health and substance use services in rural North Carolina is urgent. A study conducted by the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services reveals that in counties such as Bertie, Gates and Halifax, opioid-related deaths have increased by 360% from 2005 to 2015. Monarch’s Mobile Integrated Care Clinic aims to address these alarming statistics by offering support to those suffering from substance use and mental health disorders.
Additionally, North Carolina’s rural regions face a significant shortage of mental health providers. The Mobile Integrated Care Clinic offers a solution by expanding and enhancing substance use disorder services in areas with limited provider availability.
Meeting the need in the aftermath of the pandemic
The pandemic amplified the need for mental health and substance use disorder services. Lyndril notes that Monarch’s mobile clinics are designed to meet the increased demand for care caused by the challenges of the pandemic, providing on-the-ground services directly to communities.
Available resources
To find out more information about Monarch services available, call (866) 272-7826 or visit the service location map to see sites across North Carolina. Suicide telephone resources include the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline which can be reached by calling, (800) 273-8255.
For schedule, details about services and hiring needs for Monarch’s Mobile Integrated Care Clinics, visit the website page.
Watch these videos for a peek at Monarch’s Mobile Integrated Care Clinic: