Description of Mercy Family Services

Mercy Family Services (MFS), the mental health division of Mercy Health Services, is committed to providing comprehensive mental health services through a family centered approach. We strive to give each family member the ability to discover their unique identity and personal strengths through an unconditional therapeutic/social service relationship that balances structure, nurturance, and faith. 

MFS provides integrated, comprehensive mental health services to patients. We currently provide individual, family, and group counseling; psychiatry; social services/case management; and a school-based mental health program.  Additionally, MFS strives to empower its clients through mentoring, advocacy, referrals, and direction within the community.

Mercy Counseling Program

The therapists at Mercy Family Services are responsible for the coordination and provision of therapeutic services for clients and their families.  These responsibilities include: offering individual, family, and group therapy for identified mental health needs, participating in provider treatment team decision-making regarding other treatment needs and modalities, providing consultation to other providers and staff, and assisting clients with gaining access to other treatment services as needed. All therapists are licensed providers, including Licensed Professional Counselor/Mental Health Special Provider, Licensed Professional Counselor/Senior Licensed Psych Examiner, Licensed Professional Counselor, Licensed Marriage & Family Therapist, and Licensed Clinical Social Worker. 

Mercy’s Psychiatric Services

Our Psychiatric Services were developed to enhance the quality of excellence in assessment, diagnosis, medication administration, evaluation, and professional education to of the people we service. Currently, Mercy employs one part-time psychiatrist and one part-time psychiatric nurse practitioner that are board certified to work with the rest of the MFS team in order to provide quality team approach mental health services.

Care Coordination and Social Support

MFS provides a continuum of social services that help clients build resilience and assist in the removal of any obstacles that might impede their opportunity to participate in community life.  The goal is to partner with clients and connect them with a broad range of services aimed at meeting their needs.  MFS currently employs Mental Health Case Manager who is responsible for the coordination and provision of therapeutic/social work case management services for clients and their families.   Additional responsibilities include providing living skills knowledge such as budgeting, nutrition/cooking, utilizing public transportation; fostering effective social/communication skills; and participating in the on-call service for crisis situations. 

School Counseling Program

Mercy Family Services currently collaborates with New Hope Academy, a local school that attempts to bridge social and economic barriers by bringing together children from diverse social and economic backgrounds, in order to provide school-based mental health (SBMH) programs to students.  New Hope Academy is a K-6 grade school. 

SBMH staff members recognize that in the academic environment, student success depends on more than just adequate education.  The world of children and adolescents today is cluttered with identity crises, moral conflicts, pressures to use drugs and alcohol, the ongoing impact of broken families, pressures to conform, and many other elements that combine to produce great struggles in their lives.  These struggles can become a hindrance to learning.  In order to combat these hindrances to the learning environment, students must be provided with tools that enable them to overcome peer pressure, poor conduct, depression, anxiety, and other issues.

 Mercy’s school-based mental health service allows our on-site therapist to have direct contact with students by providing more opportunities to accurately observe them in multiple settings (i.e., in classes, groups of peers, etc.) over longer periods of time.  This comprehensive approach allows for superior counseling and intervention, which, in turn, leads to more positive outcomes for students.  Teachers identify students in need of mental health services and communicate identified needs to the therapist, who coordinates scheduling time with the student. Group counseling is offered monthly to a specific grade on topics such as bullying, divorce care, anger management, communication, peer relationships, etc.  In addition, the on-site therapist facilitates two parenting education sessions each semester and two workshops each year for all teachers on effective communication skills with children with mental health issues (e.g. ADHD, depression, bullies, etc). 

Internship Program

MFS also oversees an internship program that provides graduate students and students from the disciplines of counseling, social services, and psychiatric nurse practitioners an opportunity to gain valuable work experience and knowledge in community mental health.  The program’s goal is to attract, develop, and train professionals to become knowledgeable and effective clinicians who are willing to serve in community health settings.  Interns receive work experience, hands-on training, supervision, and the opportunity to observe and learn from experienced clinicians. 

*Mercy Family Services is licensed by the state.