Trillium Health partners with Coastal Horizons to bring mental health support to the community

BRUNSWICK/COLUMBUS/BLADEN COUNTIES, N.C. (WECT) - Trillium Health Resources, in partnership with Coastal Horizons, is launching two mobile integrated care units to provide mental health support to people in Columbus, Brunswick and Bladen counties.

After the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, the increase in mental health crises led Trillium to launch the One Community Initiative to provide support services to people experiencing mental health challenges, and mobile units have now been added to address the lack of services in rural communities.

“This pandemic has provided physical evidence to the disparities experienced by people of color and rural residents in our health care system,” Trillium’s Executive Vice President Cindy Ehlers. “If provider locations are not accessible or available, people often miss basic treatments or procedures for preventable conditions. Trillium is excited to work with these providers to meet our communities where they live to help ease access and improve their well-being.”

Coastal Horizons will operate one unit in Columbus and Brunswick counties; a second unit will service Bladen county beginning February 2022. Services provided by each unit will include:

• Mental health screenings
• General health checkups
• Vaccinations (such as flu or pneumonia)
• Substance use disorder treatment
• Traditional therapy
• Assertive outreach
• Medication management via telemedicine
• Care management
• Peer support

In the future, Trillium hopes the mobile clinics will be able to provide medication assisted treatment (MAT) for individuals experiencing opioid addiction.

The mobile integrated care units are funded through a Federal Substance Abuse Treatment Block Grant provided by the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services.

Anyone experiencing a mental health crisis can get help from the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline 1-800-273-8255.

After July 16, 2022, the three-digit 988 suicide prevention emergency number will be fully operational.

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