Addressing the Rapidly Rising Behavioral Health Needs of Caregivers and Communities at Sharp and Baptist (AL)

Mary Kay Shibley, MSN, RN, Manager, Clinical Informatics, ECT Services and Technologies, Sharp Mesa Vista and Sharp McDonald Center; Ginger Henry, COO, Baptist Medical Center (AL); and Danny Gladden, MSW, LCSW, Director of Behavioral Health, Cerner.  This year has seen an unprecedented rise in the behavioral health needs of both caregivers and patients as a result of COVID-19 and public unrest.

The physical effects of the pandemic are easy to see, but the less visible effects of fear, isolation, financial stress and uncertainty have created an environment for mental health issues to compound significantly.  As the healthcare industry continues to weather this extraordinary storm, providers must adapt to meet the growing demand for behavioral healthcare now and for years to come.  In this panel discussion, Mary Kay and Ginger discuss how they supported their clinicians and the individuals they serve in the community to address mental health, substance abuse, and housing and food insecurity challenges.  They share the benefits their organizations have realized by investing in behavioral health programs and technology, and how they tackled the difficult topic of behavioral health issues among their own employees.