May is Behavioral Health Awareness Month — and at Knox Community Health Center, the message is simple: you don’t have to be okay to walk through the door.
Ben Clark, a Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner, and Erin Olson, Director of Public Health Information and Community Engagement, joined Galesburg’s Morning News Thursday morning to talk about behavioral health, stigma, and the services available right here in Galesburg. Listen to the full interview below.
What is behavioral health?
Clark said behavioral health and mental health are interchangeable terms, and both come down to the brain functioning as a physical organ, just like the heart or kidneys.
“Things like our anxiety, our depression, our focus, our concentration, our anger, our impulsivity — all of that kind of boils down to mental health,” he said. “It’s a lot more broad than just depression or anxiety.”
Clark said conditions like ADHD involve dopamine not reaching the correct parts of the brain, while depression and anxiety are often linked to serotonin regulation. These are real chemical imbalances, not choices.
The stigma barrier
Stigma remains the biggest obstacle to people seeking help. Clark said for a long time, mental health was viewed as something people could simply decide their way out of.
“Mental health for a long time was viewed as a choice people were making — you’re deciding to be anxious today, or it’s something we can talk ourselves out of,” he said. “The more we learn and understand, that’s really just not true.”
Olson said Knox Community Health Center works to break down stigma through community outreach, social media, and face-to-face interaction, including monthly visits to the Galesburg Rescue Mission.
“Sometimes saying you’re OK is being silent about your depression,” Olson said. “We try to let people know it’s okay to say you’re not okay.”
About psychiatric medications
Clark said stigma around psychiatric medications is real, but he works to normalize them the same way other medical conditions are normalized.
“As many as 25% of Americans suffer from a mental health disorder, and only about half of those seek help,” he said. “Suffering from anxiety and depression is just as common as high blood pressure or diabetes.”
Medication is not always the first step. Clark said counseling, lifestyle modifications, and behavioral changes are often discussed first, and the most effective treatment is frequently a combination of counseling and medication.
No referral needed
Knox Community Health Center is a Federally Qualified Health Center, meaning it serves patients regardless of insurance status, including those who are insured, uninsured, or carrying a high deductible. And unlike many behavioral health settings, no referral is required to see a psychiatric provider.
“That is a huge asset that our community has,” Olson said.
The center currently has two counselors and one PMHNP on staff, with a third counselor position being hired. The center also works in partnership with Crossroads, Bridgeway, OSF, and Graham to bridge gaps in provider availability across the region.
When to seek help
Clark said the threshold for reaching out is lower than most people think.
“Anytime behavioral health symptoms are starting to limit you — you’re spending too much time worrying, altering your lifestyle, making decisions differently because of how you feel — that might be a time to talk to somebody,” he said.
Knox Community Health Center is located at the Knox County Health Department at 1361 W. Fremont St. in Galesburg. Call (309) 344-2225 to schedule an appointment. No referral is required.
