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New mental health and addiction clinic opens in York County

Patriot-News - 5/31/2021

WellSpan Health has opened a new mental health and addiction clinic called START (Specialized Treatment and Recovery Team).

The new clinic for patients with mental health and substance use disorders opened on May 3 at 605 S. George St. in York. The program began seeing patients remotely in December 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

The clinic employs 25 people and provides screening, assessments and diagnosis of mental health and substance use disorders, as well as primary health care screenings. The clinic also provides patient-centered planning, psychiatric rehabilitation, crisis mental health services, peer support and intensive community-based care for veterans.

WellSpan said that the new clinic provides faster access to psychiatry and therapy services, substance use screenings, as well as increased screenings for food and housing insecurity and referrals to support services.

“The services at the clinic allow us to improve access to care for those with mental health and substance use disorders, and also address the issues of chronic disease, housing, income and other factors that impact the health of individuals in the York community,” Dr. Mitch Crawford, director of addiction services for WellSpan Philhaven said in a press release.

The clinic works closely with a number of community partners to make sure that patients have access to the appropriate plan of care including York County Probation, York County Mental-Health/Intellectual-Development-Disabilities, York County Drug and Alcohol Commission, TrueNorth Wellness, Family First Health and York County Human Services.

The clinic is also partnering with Community Action for Recovery and Diversion, an initiative focused on individuals with substance use issues and mental health needs who are involved in the York County justice system. The goal of this partnership is to help people receive treatment, not incarceration, when they are charged with minor crimes that are related to mental health or addiction illness.

“Getting these individuals the treatment they need is first and foremost,” York County Common Pleas Judge Craig T. Trebilcock said in the press release. “If we can divert them from the criminal justice system, then it benefits our whole community.”

The clinic received a $4 million federal grant.

Information: www.wellspanphilhaven.org/Programs-and-Services/Addiction-Services/START

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