Littleton, CO – Jennifer Plant, manager of Walmart’s new Neighborhood Market in Littleton will present a check to Joan DiMaria, Chief Operating Officer of Arapahoe/Douglas Mental Health Network to provide funding for medical lab tests to low-income, underinsured and uninsured mental health clients. The check will be presented at the grand opening celebration of the new Neighboorhood Market located at 3615 W. Bowles Avenue on Friday, June 29, 2012 at 7:00am.
Research shows that people with severe mental illness die an average of 25 years earlier than the general population, largely due to medical conditions. Symptoms of severe mental illness often interfere with an individual’s ability to access primary care, and primary care practices may be inexperienced in working with this population. Plus, psychiatric medications can aggravate or trigger medical conditions.
The Be Well Primary Care Clinic, started in 2011 with a Colorado Health Foundation grant, helps solve these problems. Located at our adult outpatient facility on Sycamore Street in Littleton, the clinic is a fully equipped exam room and office staffed by a nurse practitioner with prescriptive authority and a medical assistant providing primary health care to our adult clients who do not have a primary care physician, particularly clients with severe mental illness. The medical staff works closely with the mental health staff for fully coordinated care.
Diagnostic lab work is the gateway to detecting the presence and severity of, and treating, chronic and life threatening medical conditions such as diabetes, high cholesterol, or thyroid function, and to monitoring the physical side effects and complications of psychiatric medications. More often than not, the cost is prohibitive for people with low incomes and no insurance.
This Walmart grant of $1,000 will provide initial labs for approximately 110 low income, uninsured or underinsured clients.
Walmart’s Neighborhood Market also joins forces with Arapahoe/Douglas Mental Health Network’s Center Point program as an employment partner. It is often difficult for someone with a mental illness to locate and maintain employment but Arapahoe/Douglas Mental Health Network is committed to being a full community mental health provider, and that includes helping our clients get back to work, now with the help and partnership of Walmart’s Neighborhood Market.
Walmart’s newest Walmart Neighborhood Market will open Friday, June 29, in Littleton, introducing a new kind of Walmart store to Colorado and providing convenient shopping for local residents. The store, located at 3615 W. Bowles Ave., will celebrate its grand opening at 7:00am Friday morning, June 29, with a ribbon-cutting ceremony where a donation check will be presented to Arapahoe/Douglas Mental Health Network as a local partner.
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About Arapahoe/Douglas Mental Health Network
Arapahoe/Douglas Mental Health Network is a private, nonprofit 501 (c) (3) corporation providing professional, comprehensive health care that specializes in mental health primarily, but not exclusively, serving the communities of Arapahoe and Douglas Counties. We offer programs for adults, seniors, families, couples and children. These services include counseling, psychiatry, crisis services, case management, substance abuse treatment, victim services, an adult acute treatment unit, adult supported and residential housing, services to the criminal justice system, vocational and social rehabilitation, a day treatment therapeutic school and school-based services. Arapahoe/Douglas Mental Health Network has an on-site pharmacy. We offer community education, wellness programs and a Speakers Bureau. Visit us at www.admhn.org.
