Thu, March 28, 2024

Bank provides a grant to provide community counseling

A local free health clinic is now able to offer its patients behavioral health services, thanks to a $25,000 grant from Bank of America.

Harrisburg Family Health Care, a non-profit clinic located in the HUB for Community Innovation at 631 Chafee Ave., Suite 101, has recognized a growing need for these services among its patients, according to its Executive Director, Isiah Lineberry.

“Up to 50 percent of the patients we see need mental health services,” Lineberry said.

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The clinic provides primary care services for uninsured and underinsured patients in the Harrisburg and Laney Walker communities and those living in other parts of the CSRA. Services are provided by Augusta University’s Department of Family Medicine.

Physicians focus on not only their immediate health needs but also social determinants of health, such as access to food, transportation, employment, and housing. They can then refer patients to other agencies for further assistance. Lineberry calls it the whole-person approach to healthcare.

Executive Director, Isiah Lineberry will oversee the grant on behalf of Harrisburg Family Health Care.

“We make sure we listen intently to you,” he said. “We take longer because we want to listen to you.”

Featured photo above: From left to right: Bank of America President, Augusta/Aiken, Ora Parish; Harrisburg Family Health Care co-founder, Marsha Jones; Bank of America Senior Vice President, Marissa Smith; Physician, Dr. Ebony Whisenant; and co-founder, Gloria Norwood.

The purpose of the grant is to achieve greater economic mobility in the community by addressing these social determinants and behavioral health needs.

Until now, the clinic has referred patients with these needs to Serenity Behavioral Health Systems or AmericanWork.

But since they received the grant, they’ve developed a partnership with the Family Counseling Center of the CSRA Inc. Patients are now referred to Family Counselling, which performs a thorough assessment and determines whether they need additional referrals for psychiatric treatment.

Lineberry said the grant lasts for one year, and they’re considering several possibilities, including adding telehealth and psychiatric services in the future.

“It’s the first time in our history we’ve been able to provide mental health services for our patients,” he said.

Founded in 2009 by Marsha Jones and Gloria Norwood, the clinic was originally located on Crawford Avenue and moved into the HUB in the summer of 2022. Lineberry said his organization partners with other HUB nonprofits, such as RISE Augusta and Augusta Locally Grown.

He said he’s grateful to Bank of America for the grant funding, as well as the Augusta National Golf Club, Community Foundation for the CSRA, and MCG Foundation for providing financial support for the HUB project.

For more information, visit harrisburgfamilyhealth.webnode.page/.

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