CareSouth Behavioral Health Clinic serving the needs, filling a void
As COVID-19 cases and deaths continue to increase, many people are experiencing higher levels of stress and anxiety. CareSouth Behavioral Health Clinic's Family Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner Brittany Smith says they are seeing a steady flow of patients as they continue to expand their services to meet the needs.
“It’s non-stop,” Smith said. "Just a steady flow of patients.Our schedule is full.”
The clinic is offering telehealth visits to protect patients and staff during COVID-19.
Another reason they are busy is because CareSouth is one of the few Behavioral Health providers that accepts Medicaid patients. "It's very limited," Smith said.
As a Federally Qualified Health Center (FQHC), its mission is to make healthcare available to everyone.
The clinic which opened in February 2017 treats patients with ADHD, Autism, anxiety, bipolar disorder, and grief and loss issues, among other things. She says patients come from all over including Baton Rouge, East and West Feliciana, St. Helena, Livingston Parish and other surrounding parishes.
The staff also works with the school system to provide the best individualized plan for each child.
Her advice for dealing with the pandemic is to try not to become too overwhelmed, develop support and coping strategies, and seek help as soon as possible if needed.
“Slow and steady wins the race,” Smith said. “It's about consistency and staying focused.”
