Bellin Health is providing invaluable mental health support for patients and providers in the primary care setting while growing the workforce of tomorrow through its Behavioral Health Consultant (BHC) program.
 
Now in its eighth year and growing — including its recent expansion to the rural healthcare setting — the BHC program places recent Master’s in Counseling or Masters in Social Work graduates in the primary care setting while they complete their required 3,000 hours of supervised clinical training. The grads get second-to-none hands-on training and mentorship as they work toward independent licensure, while patients and providers benefit from having their expertise right in the office.
 
“It’s a very dynamic position and we ask them to wear many hats as they complete their hours with us,” said program Team Facilitator Dan Gesell, LPC. “This program helps our new counselors hone and grow their skills while working toward the next step in their career with Bellin.”
 
The BHC program adds two mental health professionals to the primary care team — a licensed counselor or clinical social worker and a psychiatric consultant. This helps reduce the stigma and access issues often faced by patients who haven’t been connected to mental health services in the past. Having skilled and emerging mental health care team members as part of the primary care team provides a tremendous advantage, said Dr. James Gast, Family Medicine Physician at Bellin Health Ashwaubenon.

“They’re part of our team, and work with us to make sure we’re taking care of the whole patient — body and mind,” Gast said. “It’s good for us, it’s good for our patients, and it provides a valuable career pathway for these promising new graduates.”
 
Bellin has implemented the BHC program in nine clinics, with plans for further growth.