Friendly receptionists. Coffee's always on. Toys to occupy the kids. You sit in the waiting room of the mental health department at MeritCare Thief River Falls Northwest Medical Center.
Maybe you're there for yourself – your occasional blue days have become constant and all you want to do is sleep.
Or you're there with your child – yet again he was dismissed from school, this time for stealing from lockers.
Or you're there with your spouse – you've always had arguments, but lately they've gotten so bad the neighbors call the police.
You're glad you only had to wait a few days for this appointment because any longer and you might've talked yourself out of it. You've done that before, but that didn't work because nothing changed. Time passed and soon you found yourself in the same old darkness.
For people in Thief River Falls and the region, a light now shines. With the addition of five mental health clinicians, the expanded mental health department at Northwest Medical Center has the capability to help patients quickly – often within a week or less.
For emergencies, a newly established crisis response team can readily assess a situation, then determine the best course of action to meet the specific need.
A consumer focus
"We keep the focus on the consumers' needs and desires, not our own," says Terry DeMars, director of the mental health department. Consumers?
"It fits well with what we do," he explains. "The term 'patients' conveys the idea that we can identify what's broken and fix it. But it's not always that easy with mental health. Sometimes it's a matter of finding what shines and polishing it. We've seen great success with this approach.
Terry recalls a striking example from his 25-year mental health career, including 12 as director at Pathfinder Children's Treatment Center in Thief River Falls. "We had one adolescent who sang like an angel," he says. "So we made individual voice lessons part of the treatment plan and it made all the difference. Yes, the problem was still there, but it was softer. Dealing with the problem indirectly rather than directly was a more effective way of addressing it."
For Terry and the entire mental health team, the philosophy of serving people comes down to careful listening, deep respect for individuals and families, and flexibility to meet consumer needs. "Serving people is our passion," he says. "That desire is at the front and center of every decision we make."
One of the state's best
Developed over the course of 35 years, the mental health department in Thief River Falls has gained national recognition. "Across the state, there's no other town this size that offers the scope of services offered here," says Terry. "It's really quite a gift."
Serving northwestern Minnesota and at times the entire state, the mental health department works closely with legal, educational and community professionals. The department offers:
- Outpatient care provided by 10 mental health clinicians.
- An inpatient psychiatric unit for both adults and children.
- Specialized services including intensive in-home therapists.
- Pathfinder Children's Treatment Center, a residential facility for children and adolescents with significant mental health or family issues.
- Northern Lights Community Residence, a facility for adults unable to live independently.
- Northern Lights Bookstore, an innovative work program for adults.
Still water
Just before your name is called and you see your clinician, you notice a framed photo entitled "Still Water." You imagine yourself in the midst of the frost-covered trees, a gently sloping countryside, a deep-blue pond that reflects old farm buildings still standing strong. For just a moment you get a sense of peace … and you realize that this time around, change is possible.