PENDER – With a main office in Norfolk, two short-term residential programs and another outpatient program in Columbus, Behavioral Health Specialists (BHS) recently extended their hours in a northeast Nebraska community being a satellite clinic by offering substance abuse, mental health and anger management services.
According to a release from BHS, the Pender Outpatient Clinic opened in December of last year offering services two days a week but now has been extended.
Jenna Kennedy, LADC, CAMF is the Director of Outpatient Services in the Pender Clinic. She said this is thanks to the overwhelming support of community partners.
“Well, we kind of opened on a wing and a prayer and we were hoping that we’d be able to at least sustain two days a week,” said Kennedy. “Before we knew it, we were completely full. So, it was a nice blessing and a wonderful surprise.”
A clinical assistant also joins Kennedy who is the therapist on staff as a full-time mental health therapist will be hired soon and the clinic also offers community support services.
Located at 326 Main Street in Pender, the outpatient clinic is open from 8 a.m. until 6 p.m. Monday through Thursday and 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. each Friday with walk-ins welcome. Evening and weekend appointments are available as needed as the clinic will also look to offer an outpatient group on Saturday mornings at 9 a.m. beginning as soon as possible.
The clinic in Pender, which serves all of northeast Nebraska and beyond, will be offering alcohol and drug evaluations as well as mental health evaluations, individual therapy, anger management and community support services. Intensive outpatient and outpatient group therapy will begin as demand continues to grow.
Kennedy added the Pender Clinic provides services at the Thurston County jail with inmates along with Winnebago, Walthill and Macy sending them adolescents for therapy.
“We do a lot just walk-in services,” Kennedy added. “We’ve gotten a lot of support from the hospital systems in our area. Because of the growth and because of the referrals we’re getting in is why we decided to expand to include mental health services.”
The BHS Pender Outpatient Clinic also offers services via Zoom, Go-To Meeting and via telephone for clients with transportation and technology difficulties. All funding sources are accepted including, but not limited to: Region 4 (based off a sliding fee scale), Probation Vouchers, Private Insurance, Medicaid and Self-Pa.
With additional staff, the clinic will also look to offer additional services.
“Long-term down the road we’d love to be able to open like a Sober Living House or a Half-Way House type setting,” Kennedy mentioned. “So, it’s just a work in progress. I can only see us getting larger and stronger and we hope that the rest of the community continues to support us.
The Pender BHS Clinic can be reached at 402-922-7555 as Behavioral Health Specialists also cover the crisis response team/CARELINE at 888-370-7003. If you or someone you know is in crisis, reach out for help.
