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Valley Oaks Health introduces new community mental health services for Clinton County
Summary
Valley Oaks Health told the Board of Commissioners it is the newly designated Community Mental Health Center for Clinton County and is working to transition clients and establish temporary and permanent local space.
Dan Ahrens, CEO and president of Valley Oaks Health, told the Clinton County Board of Commissioners on July 15 that his organization is the newly designated Community Mental Health Center (CMHC) for Clinton County and is beginning a phased transition of clients from the prior provider. "We are the newly designated CMHC Community Mental Health Center for Clinton County," Ahrens said.
The announcement came during the meeting's public-comment period and outlined Valley Oaks' immediate and planned work in the county. Ahrens said the provider serves "11 or 12,000 people each year" across its service area and that Clinton County is its tenth designated county. He said staff are already prepared to begin serving local clients as of July 1 and that Dr. Deep Pateau, a psychologist, will serve as clinical director for the area.
Why it matters: the CMHC designation identifies which provider is responsible for publicly funded community behavioral-health services for the county. Ahrens said Valley Oaks is coordinating care with the previous provider to complete "warm handoffs" for clients, including medication continuity for people the presentation identified as having serious mental illness.
Details provided: Ahrens said Valley Oaks is working in schools, jails, homes and other community settings and is seeking temporary space in Clinton County while pursuing more permanent facilities. He estimated the number of clients with serious mental illness to be about 80 and said another roughly 100–200 clients have milder conditions and are being transitioned. He encouraged county staff and residents to contact Valley Oaks through the provider's website or main phone number.
No board action was taken at the July 15 meeting on funding or contracts for Valley Oaks; the presentation was informational and began a public record of the provider's presence and local planning.
Looking ahead: Ahrens said Valley Oaks will continue outreach and coordination with county staff; he offered contact information and indicated Valley Oaks staff would be looped into future meetings as needed.
