Lifeline Connections is expanding its services for the first time in its 53-year history as a behavioral health services provider in Clark County.
On Monday, Lifeline will open a new office in Orchards to meet the needs of those living on the east side of Vancouver. And this fall, Lifeline plans to open a third office in Camas to reach east Clark County residents.
“We chose (the Orchards) area because it has a very high need for mental health services and no agencies to serve them,” said Arianna Kee, Lifeline’s mental health program director.
The county’s biggest mental health providers — Lifeline Connections, Columbia River Mental Health Services and Community Services Northwest — are all based in west Vancouver, Kee said.
The new Orchards office, 11719 N.E. 95th St., Suite A, is in the EastRidge Business Park at the corner of 117th Avenue and 95th Street. Appointments at the new office can be made through Lifeline’s main phone line, 360-397-8246.
Funding for the new Orchards and Camas locations was provided by Southwest Washington Behavioral Health, which administers and coordinates public mental health services in Clark and Skamania counties.
The new office will only be providing mental health services, at least initially. Within the next nine months, the Orchards office will add substance abuse and co-occurring services, Kee said.
And for the first six months or so, the new office will only provide mental health services for people with the state Medicaid program, called Washington Apple Health. Later, they’ll accept people with commercial insurance plans, Kee said.
“There aren’t a lot of options for Medicaid clients,” she said. “So this is their place first.”
The Orchards office will provide the same mental health services that are available at Lifeline’s main office at the Center for Community Health. That includes individual and group therapy, peer support, case management and initial assessments. The office will have three full-time therapists — two of whom speak Cantonese, French and Spanish — as well as a prescriber and nurse who will visit the office at set times.
The office will be open from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. but also will offer some evening and Saturday appointments. Kee expects the Orchards office will serve 200 to 300 clients.
To start, Lifeline will offer group family therapy, as well as group sessions for those with bipolar disorder, anxiety and co-occurring mental health and substance abuse issues. Additional groups will be added based on client interest and need, Kee said.
Many of Lifeline’s clients face transportation challenges and may struggle to take time off of work or arrange child care. Lifeline officials hope the new office on the east side — and its evening and weekend hours — will help meet clients where they are, said Shannon Edgel, Lifeline’s marketing specialist.
“To expand is quite unique, especially mental health (services),” Edgel said.
“We’re helping people go from illness to wellness,” she added.
