Program Spotlight: Charles Drew Health Center

Since 1983, Charles Drew Health Center (CDHC) has provided the Omaha community with affordable, quality health care services to over 10,000 individuals each year. In addition to their pharmacy, medical, dental, and nutrition clinics, Charles Drew has been busy developing mental and behavioral health services to complete their Integrated Care Model.

We had the opportunity to meet with Tiffany White-Welchen, Behavioral Health Manager, who has been at the frontlines of this expansion of services. She went into detail about their mental health programs and gave us a tour around their main clinic off of 29th and Grant. She explains that in only a year and a half, the mental health staff has grown to include two full-time therapists, a part-time therapist, and a part-time psychiatrist, in addition to herself, a licensed therapist. Charles Drew works under the Integrated Primary Care Model. Meaning, the medical doctors work closely with the behavioral health professionals to best serve the patient and their unique needs.

During a typical wellness appointment, the medical professionals at CDHC conduct Patient Health Questionnaires (PHQ) with their patients to determine whether they have any signs of mental illness, such as depression or posttraumatic stress disorder. When a patient shows scores that may require additional mental health services, a therapist will immediately join the case. During this brief therapy screening, the therapist will educate the patient on available treatments and determine whether they need to continue with mental or behavior health services.

CDH currently offers individual, couple, group therapies, and teletherapy services on a sliding fee scale. They are also working towards expanding into in-home therapy, intensive outpatient services, and parent-child interaction therapy.

To learn more about Charles Drew Health Center, and to view a full list of available medical services, go to: http://www.charlesdrewhcomaha.org/#home

About Jill Sauser, Project Coordinator, The Kim Foundation
Jill has a B.S. in Journalism (PR/Advertising) and a Minor in Speech Communication from the University of Nebraska at Omaha. During her time at UNO, she completed a two year PR practicum program where she worked with numerous nonprofit clients including the MS Society, The Archdiocese of Omaha, and YWCA. Jill joined The Kim Foundation as Project Coordinator in April 2014.