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OUR SERVICES

Behavioral Health and Pastoral Care

Mercy Care’s behavioral health team is fully integrated into our clinics and outreach teams on the street. A screening tool is used to assess
patients’ behavioral health as part of the regular primary care visit or specifically for a mental health need. Patients who are found to have
anxiety, depression, or other symptoms talk to a behavioral health specialist for further assessment and development of a treatment plan.
Regular follow-ups facilitate overall progress toward goals.

Filling the gap The presence of Chaplain’s story
pastoral care
In 2015 and 2016, the availability of “The shelter I am in sent me here.
mental health providers in Fulton I have some broken ribs from
County dropped drastically and the In 2016, Pastoral Care entered Mercy being jumped. The only thing I had
number of people coming to Mercy Care’s clinics. Sister Kathy Komarek was blood pressure and seizure
medicine. Guess they thought it was
Care with mental health issues grew. and her volunteer recruits—Sister something else.” Sister Kathy replies, 9,083
Mercy Care stepped up and met Pat Sullivan, Sal Arias, and Marian
the need of the growing number Monahan—provide comforting “Those seem like good reasons to
of patients needing behavioral conversations, lift spirits and often be here; broken ribs, a need for mental health
visits
health services, 96% of whom were affirm the deep faith they find in our medicine.” “Yes, I guess so. I came
uninsured, 76% were homeless patients. here from Florida. My wife died
and 92% lived at or below 100% of three months ago. I couldn’t bear
poverty level. Female patients made to stay there, so I came to Atlanta.”
up 51% of those treated and 49% Read the full story
were male.

Celebrating recovery 64%

Some laughed, cried, gave standing ovations, practiced yoga and ate cake. Some did all the above as 12 participants of of primary care patients (age
Mercy Care’s Peer Support Program for women showcased their self-care kits and narrated their journey to wellness. 12 and older) were screened
for behavioral health
Read the full story symptoms. If positive, a
follow-up plan was initiated
that day.

2016 Community Report Page 6