“I see every day as an opportunity to help someone,” said Integral Care COO Dawn Handley, a licensed clinician with over 30 years of experience in behavioral health.
In her role as COO, she oversees Integral Care’s services, including:
- A 24/7 helpline and crisis services
- Adult services
- Child and family services
- Counseling services and case management
- Drug and alcohol treatment
- “Mental Health First Aid” community outreach and education
- Programs for those with intellectual and developmental disabilities
“[High Performer] is the second to the highest level,” Handley said. “We're pretty proud of that first time run.”
The designation honors Integral Care’s efforts supporting non-discrimination for clients and staff; cultivating an inclusive workplace by providing LGBTQ+ inclusive employee policies and benefits; and demonstrating engagement with and public commitment to the LGBTQ+ community.
“Marginalized groups often face barriers in the health care industry,” Handley said. “That's a lot of stress and trauma ... those things exacerbate mental health issues, which contribute to poor health outcomes overall. So one way we wanted to tackle that was by looking at this index and looking inward to see where we fall on that continuum.”
Integral Care’s approach
Handley’s proud not only of her organization and how its network of local partners, clinicians and advocates impact the lives of others; she also recognizes the bravery of those who overcome long-standing stigmas by reaching out for care.
“More than 50% of adults will need mental health treatment at some point during their lifetime. Yet we're still afraid to really engage with our health care providers about it,” Handley said. “We're doing a better job talking about our feelings, looking at self care and recognizing anxiety and depression.”
But there’s more work to be done, and Integral Care takes a unique approach to health and wellbeing by providing mental health care and primary care side-by-side, something Handley views as a person-centered approach.
“[Integrated health care] allows us to treat the whole person. The head is not separate from the body,” Handley said. “So it's important to be able to have those services in one place so that we can treat the whole person as they present and meet them where they are.”
The organization also ensures no one in need will be turned away due to the inability to pay and offers a sliding scale fee structure for its counseling services.
“We’re a safety net,” Handley said. “[the ability to pay] is not an issue, it's around eligibility.”
Community outreach and education also plays a pivotal role in serving community members. To that end, Integral Care partners with a robust network of local communities and organizations to better inform its strategies for raising awareness of its message and the services it provides.
“If we don't talk about [mental health], it doesn't become a part of our normal conversation and we don't normalize it as care needs that need to be addressed,” Handley said.
Continuing to measure progress
Integral Care’s recent distinction highlights the hard work done and room for improvement, particularly with respect to members of the LGBTQ+ community, a historically underserved group at a much higher risk for experiencing negative mental health outcomes.
“It was a great exercise, because you always want to take the opportunity, even if you're doing well, to continue to grow and do better, " Handley said. “This was one of those things that we could do to really serve a population of folks that often don't have the same access to care.”
If you or someone you love is experiencing a difficult time, know that client confidentiality and wellbeing is the utmost priority at Integral Care. For immediate emotional support, individuals are urged to call the 24-hour helpline at 512-472-4357 or toll-free at 844-398-8252. For those who are deaf or hard of hearing, please use VRS TTY: 512-703-1395.
To learn more about services offered or inquire about scheduling, visit the Integral Care website today and either call an Integral Care team member from 8 a.m.-5 p.m. Monday-Friday or submit a contact form to the service area of interest.
The above story was produced by Community Impact's Multi Platform Journalist Team with information solely provided by the local business as part of its "sponsored content" purchase through our advertising team.
