OGDENSBURG -- Claxton-Hepburn Medical Center opened the doors of its new Wellness Center, an outpatient mental health clinic, Jan. 2.

“The new Wellness Center differentiates us from other centers. Our services bridge the gap … by working with our Emergency Department and inpatient units to ensure access to care,” said Kim McKnight, mental health services director at Claxton-Hepburn, who oversees the clinic.

Located on the fourth floor of Claxton-Hepburn, the clinic is open Monday through Friday, from 8 a.m.-4:30 p.m., and is accepting patients 18 years and older. The Wellness Center also provides walk-in appointments on Tuesdays and Thursdays, from 9-11 a.m. Appointments can be made by calling 713-5720.

“Our Wellness Center team makes it easy for you to access our services. No physician referral is required,” said David Nelson, licensed clinical social worker who helps staff the clinic. “We provide same-day crisis appointments and after-hours crisis care is available in Claxton-Hepburn’s Emergency Department.”

The Wellness Center is also staffed by psychiatric nurse practitioner Crystal Simmons, licensed clinical social worker Kristin Brown and medical director Dr. Pakkam Rajasekaran.

“The Wellness Center specializes in therapeutic services and provides a wide variety of treatment options for people coping with issues that can compromise their mental well-being,” said Dr. Rajasekaran. “Some of our specialty areas include depression, anxiety, anger, sexual and physical abuse, chronic mental illness, post-traumatic stress disorder, and co-occurring disorders. We have all the necessary staff in place and if we need to refer we have built strong relationships within the community.”

Individual and group therapy, psycho education, psychiatric diagnostic assessment, psychiatric medication management, genetic testing, integration with primary care and coping skills training are all available at the clinic. The Wellness Center provides 24/7 access to mental health specialists, emergency care, inpatient care, electroconvulsive therapy and on-site ancillary medical services.

Most insurances are accepted. If there is no insurance coverage, the hospital’s patient financial counseling office will work with patients to establish a payment plan based on an individual’s needs and sliding fee scale. No one will be denied services based on their ability to pay.

For more information about the new Wellness Center at Claxton-Hepburn Medical Center, call 713-5720 or log on to claxtonhepburn.org/wellnesscenter.