Social distancing may seem like an inconvenience to some who spend their free time at sporting events or dining out with friends and family. But when you are diagnosed with a mental disorder, that time spent alone can be life-crushing, often leading to a heightened depression.
Those dealing with mental and behavioral conditions are also dependent on the nurses and specialists who administer their routine medicines. The sheer company of these workers also help the patients with socializing and interaction with others.
As the COVID-19 pandemic continues, behavioral and mental health workers are still providing the much-needed services to their patients. True, there have been adjustments with caregiving, but the message is still pretty solid. Be a listening ear, a dedicated caretaker and frontline worker in an often-silent battlefield.
The team at Warren Yazoo Mental Health stands behind that message with their efforts to maintaining a healthy mental and behavioral balance among its patients during the recent pandemic. Medicine continues to be administered outside the homes of patients, but now the team relies heavily on teleconferencing and other digital avenues to provide therapy.
Bridgette Lewis, the crisis team leader, has been with WYMH for the past 24 years. COVID is the first of its kind that she has ever seen during her tenure.
“It was really scary for us here because the numbers were already so high when we starting our adjustments,” Lewis said. “Many of our patients are low income, and we literally had to stand out on the streets to give them their shots. Many times, we go to their homes. And, at times, we find them on the streets. But we still have a duty to meet with them and give them the medications they need.”
Lewis said all medications and meeting with the patients to ensure a healthy mental state has to now be done outside a facility or home. Police escorts are sometimes necessary in many cases.
“Many of our patients have no transportation so we have to get them stable to prevent them going to the hospital,” Lewis added. “Mental health matters, and we have to continue our jobs and our mission.”
Lewis said many treatment sessions are done over the phone. But it is still that communication between the team and the patient that can make all the difference.
“They call us, and we don’t want them to feel alone,” Lewis said. “When those four walls start caving in, depression hits. We have to take those proactive measures. Sometimes we may get cursed out, but we still have a job to do.”
Lewis said she relies on her faith during these challenging times.
“We are a Christ-centered facility,” Lewis said. “We pray to God. He has to protect us because we have never been in these kinds of situations.
April Ward, director of nursing, said Lewis has “really been in the trenches.” But Lewis said that Ward deserves a pat on the back as well, calling her “the best nurse around.”
“Mental health is no different than any other medical disease,” Ward said. “They still need their medicines to keep them from going into a crisis. Mental health is just as important as physical health. And our clients are wonderful. They have pushed through this too.”
Although the methods are different, Ward said she enjoys seeing her patients and other clients. When not visiting on the streets, she relies on Zoom meetings and other telephonic avenues.
“COVID has brought along more stress and anxiety,” Ward said. “Many of our clients have family issues on the rise during this pandemic. We are all adjusting to this, but we can’t let them suffer just because they have medical issues. We love our patients, and we want the best for them. Every field thinks they have the best patients, but we really do. We appreciate and love them.”
When it comes to credit, Ward said she wants none.
“I don’t need credit,” Ward said. “This is my job. I am simply doing what I am supposed to be doing.”
Natalie Edwards has served as a PACT nurse for the past six years. And she admits her responsibilities haven’t changed much during COVID. She mostly deals with housing, medication, therapy and financial guidance with the patients.
“The biggest difference is not going inside the homes,” Edward said. “We have to visit outside. That may have its limitations, but people are resilient. We are going to keep our work going.”
Edwards also reminds patients of safety guidelines and social distancing. She said she has been blessed that none of her clients have tested positive for COVID.
Another dedicated team member? All are quick to point to Millicent Ledbetter, director at WYMHS.
“She could have left, but she stayed with us,” Lewis said. “There wasn’t a day that she wasn’t with us. She is a leader, and she brings calmness.”
“She is a very positive person,” Ward added. “She is a great encourager. We love and respect her. You have to have a certain kind of energy in this field. She has that energy. It would be a much different world without her.”
