Getting off the fourth-floor elevators at the UVM Medical Center’s location across from the University Green at 1 South Prospect Street in Burlington, you might expect a sterile, clinical setting, but the Mental Health Urgent Care (MHUC) feels completely different. Guests are greeted at the entrance to a spacious reception area furnished with comfortable couches and room-length windows offering a spectacular view of Lake Champlain. A sign across the room welcomes guests in 20 languages.
Creating such a warm and welcoming first impression was an important part of the design of the center, which was envisioned as a place where people receive the help they need without having to pay a stressful visit to the hospital emergency department. With locally created art on nearly every wall and soft couches and comfy chairs in nearly every room, the MHUC is an inviting, even cozy space.
Some guests who visit the MHUC have experience managing their mental health concerns and know the services that will help, but many others are less sure. It’s not unusual for a guest to visit without knowing what they need; they’re just sure they’re not ok. At the MHUC, guests come from all walks of life with unique experiences, backgrounds, and needs. Whether someone is seeking help with their mental health for the first time or is experienced at managing their mental health, at the MHUC every guest finds caring staff members who help without judgement or stigma.
As one staff member shared, “This is a place where you can come and just be you. Its ok to be not ok, and we’re not going to try to fix you. We’re here to support you.”
After a guest is greeted and welcomed into the space, the next step is often a conversation about what’s going on in the guest’s life and what brought them to MHUC. Its an unhurried opportunity for guests to share what they’re experiencing and for staff to begin to get to know them and assess how MHUC can help. These conversations include subjects like events in the guest’s personal life, where they live, experiences they’ve had, medications or changes in medications, and other topics that might provide staff with information to help determine what to recommend.
Once the team at MHUC has an idea of what a guest needs, they can often provide help on the spot and assistance connecting with longer term-supports like other Howard Center programs, peer support offered on site by Pathways Vermont, or wound care and primary care offered by Community Health Centers. When a guest needs help after closing time, MHUC staff provide a warm handoff to Howard Center’s 24/7 First Call for Chittenden County program for overnight support if needed, and guests are welcome to come back the next day to follow-up. In the rare cases when a guest needs more intensive help, staff can assist with transportation to the hospital emergency department.
As one staff member put it, “There’s still stigma around mental health and some people might feel a little awkward visiting MHUC, but if you have a need, please come and see us, even if you’re not exactly sure what’s wrong. We’ll help you figure it out and get you connected to the supports that are right for you.”