In Wake County, new urgent care center caters to mental health

It started about eight months ago. Warren Wilson had a troubling childhood but he never felt anything quite like this.

"I started realizing that I was doing things that was out of the normal," Wilson said. "I was fine at work, and as soon as I would get home from work I would have no motivation and would lock myself in my room."

Wilson, 45, was diagnosed with Manic Bipolar with Psychosis. It's a condition that requires medication to regulate.

Right after the diagnosis Wilson, who said he wasn't keeping up with his medication, had a manic episode and was kicked out of his house. He needed immediate help and was told about a new urgent care clinic in Raleigh.

"I'd never heard of a mental health urgent care. That's something somebody should have thought of a long time ago because it's a great need in this area right now," he said.

Monarch Wake County Behavioral Health Urgent Care operates just like a traditional urgent care clinic. While those office are equipped to treat a sore throat or diagnose the flu, this clinic focuses on mental health conditions. The office, which opened in March, is staffed with psychiatrists, therapists and social workers, and there is no need for an appointment.

"We know on the medicine side where we go when something happens to our body, but we don't necessarily know where to go when something happens in the mental health realm," said Brian Maxey who is the practice administrator of the Wake County Behavioral Health Urgent Care.

This clinic is hoping to fill a gap in the care available for mental health in the area. Traditionally, it can take weeks and even months for a patient to get an appointment with a psychiatrist. Often times, the only answer is a visit to the emergency room, which can be costly and not always helpful.

"We can help someone if they need to be hospitalized. We can point them in that direction. We can actually begin the voluntary commitment process here," Maxey said.

Monarch can also help with medication and prescriptions. Wilson was able to see a psychiatrist on the spot and pick up his medication a few hours later.

"It's probably saved me a couple of weeks in terms of getting back on track with my medication management and everything," he said.

The Monarch Wake County Behavioral Health Urgent Care is the first of its kind in Wake County and is open daily. The clinic serves any patient over the age of four.