The UNMC College of Nursing is partnering with the People’s City Mission Free Medical Clinic to offer free mental health services to those who live in Lancaster County and have no health insurance or mental health provider.
The service will be offered via telehealth in association with the People’s City Mission Free Medical Clinic, 401 N. 2nd St. in Lincoln. The clinic is temporarily closed to in-person visitors due to the pandemic.
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Those interested can get information on the clinic’s website. A link on the website will allow individuals to enter their information securely and request an appointment. If Internet is not available, individuals can leave a message at 402-817-0980, which is staffed by the clinic.
Hours for consultation are flexible and will be based on patient, student, and faculty availability.
People are eligible for services if they do not have insurance or access to other providers in the community. Those who already have a provider are not eligible.
Nick Guenzel, Ph.D., a psychiatric nurse practitioner and assistant professor in the UNMC College of Nursing Lincoln Division, said up to 13 graduate and doctoral level students enrolled in the college’s psychiatric mental health nurse practitioner program will be available. The program trains students, all of whom are nurses already with experience in mental health, to diagnose, treat and prescribe medications.
Dr. Guenzel will be the supervising faculty member who will collaborate with students to determine a treatment plan for each client, including prescribing medications if necessary.
Though there are not resources for the clinic to distribute or pay for medications, he said the clinic will work with discount pharmacies, inexpensive medications, and patient assistance programs to get free or low-cost medications for clients.
Dr. Guenzel said students will follow patients until graduation. Care would then be continued through new students or other providers.
“Ultimately, my hope is that people will be able to access the traditional healthcare system if they are able to get insurance at some point, but we plan to see them as long as needed,” Dr. Guenzel said. “The economic situation now is another barrier for many trying to access mental health care. At the same time, many people are experiencing increased stress that compounds mental health problems. We want to help provide access to mental healthcare to those who otherwise may not have it.”
He said he has volunteered at the clinic for eight years and has had plans to expand services to telehealth. “Now seems like the right time to implement these plans, both in terms of the on-line delivery and the increased capacity,” Dr. Guenzel said.