May is Behavioral Health Awareness Month — and help is closer than many people realize.
Ben Clark, Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner, and Erin Olson, Director of Public Health Information and Community Engagement at Knox Community Health Center, joined Galesburg’s Morning News on Thursday, May 7. Listen to the full interview above.
Topics covered in this interview:
- What behavioral health actually means — and why it’s interchangeable with mental health
- The brain as a physical organ — chemical imbalances behind ADHD, anxiety, and depression
- What a Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner does and how it differs from a therapist
- Stigma — where it comes from and why it remains the biggest barrier to seeking help
- Stigma around psychiatric medications — and how to think about them differently
- When medication is the right call, and when lifestyle changes or counseling come first
- The provider shortage — not just in Knox County, but across the region
- Knox Community Health Center’s services — no referral needed, open to insured and uninsured
- Community outreach including monthly visits to the Galesburg Rescue Mission
- When to seek help — and how to take the first step
Knox Community Health Center is located at the Knox County Health Department at 1361 W. Fremont St. in Galesburg. No referral is needed to see a provider. Call (309) 344-2225 to get started.