Wellness and Healing are Priority as Wellpoint Care Network Continues Campus Transformation

As part of Wellpoint Care Network’s ongoing campus transformation project, we are excited to announce that our all-new “Well-being Wing” is now open.

“The new wing is larger and allows us to manage the increased volume of clients that we’re seeing,” said Jody Pahlavan, Vice President of Clinical Services. “We have seen a significant increase in the number of distinct clients that we’re serving each year since we’ve opened. Last year alone, we saw a 22% increase in the number of outpatient clients we served. So, we’re pleased to not only be able to have more space to provide services, but also to expand our services and reach even more members of the community. In fact, we’ve already hired two additional therapists for this location, for the new wing.”

The new wing is part of a multi-year project of Wellpoint Care’s campus. It is estimated that this project will impact 7,800 individuals annually, including 1,500 children, youth and adults who will access mental health services through our clinic, regardless of income, insurance, or ability to pay.

“In the past, many people drove by and weren’t really sure what happened in our facility,” added Pahlavan. “We’re really opening that up by having more windows, more transparency. It’s an invitation to come in and check us out, develop relationships and create an environment where the community can help and learn from each other. We are dedicated to understanding and strengthening the wellness of individuals in our community and the wellness of the community in total.”

an array of services

Wellpoint Care Network’s mental health services are available for children, youth, adults, couples and families. In addition to traditional talk therapy, we also offer art therapy, play therapy, Trauma-Focused Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (TF-CBT), Theraplay, occupational therapy, and Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR).

The completion of the new Well-being Wing allows for expanded and dedicated space for each of these specialties.

“We’ve added a large, really nice Occupational Therapy (OT) room,” said Pahlavan. “We had an OT room previously, but now it’s new and improved, and we’re excited to be able to service even more clients. We’ve been able to hire a second OT as well.”

There’s also now a dedicated art therapy room.

“Many of the children that we service may not have the best ability to verbally work through some of their issues or their trauma, so alternate modes of treatment are really valuable,” added Pahlavan. “Art therapy is one of them, where the children can really work through the issue and express themselves, and reach a point of healing. We have multiple art therapists on our team who are dual-certified — licensed, professional counselors and art therapists — so, this will be a wonderful opportunity to present an environment in which kids can grow and thrive. It will be so great to be in a room that has all the all the art materials there, ability for drying, a sink — all of those important things with art, but more important for creating the space to heal and grow.”

Additionally, areas are now available for play therapy and group therapy.

“Instead of a smaller office, we have a larger, enhanced space furnished with the right tools for doing play therapy with a variety of early ages. Also, we have the facility to do group therapy in-person, because we now have a large enough space to accommodate.”

One of the other new additions to Wellpoint Care’s Well-being Wing is dedicated telehealth office space.

“What that will allow us to do is two-fold,” said Pahlavan. “It gives a place where our clinicians can be doing a dedicated telehealth session with a client who’s in their home or at a school. The other part of it that’s really exciting is it’s also going to be a place where our clients can come in and have an appointment with either a psychiatric nurse practitioner or a board-certified psychiatrist. This will enable our clients to have access to all the care they need in one location that will allow for additional consultation, any medication prescribing and follow-up medication management. We’re really integrating the medical part into the therapeutic treatment. As we know, the mind and body don’t operate separately. They operate in-sync with each other, and so it will be incredibly helpful and convenient to be able to assess even more of the physical impacts or causes of some of the stressors and disorders that people are experiencing.”

commitment to being trauma-informed

While plans for Wellpoint Care’s new Well-being Wing were being discussed, an important part of the conversation was making sure we were creating a trauma-informed space for those in our care.

Creating a trauma-friendly environment was a top priority, in order to create a therapeutic area for people to feel safe and secure, and to work on their healing journey with us.

“All of our therapy rooms have windows,” said Pahlavan. “Not only windows, but windows that are privately facing. These rooms really open up on some of the most beautiful areas of our campus with huge adult trees. You’ll bring in the seasons, the nature, the birds that are there. It’s a comforting environment to be able to process through difficult things. Nature is a comfort area for providing that sense of regulation and calmness and being comfortable. We have these beautiful, big windows bringing in natural light and this very splendid and secure background.”

Additionally, the Well-being Wing now has its own waiting room.

“That’s going to enhance people’s comfort, privacy and continued respect for their confidentiality,” added Pahlavan. “We really embrace this being a very healing environment. By being in our suite, that sense of safety, trust and security is present to help facilitate this therapeutic process. Milieu is really important when it comes to treatment and feeling comfortable. Treatment happens over many sessions, so if you have to reaccommodate to a new space every time, that’s really difficult. If our children or adults are in a zone that they have created as comfort, it’s kind of like they come to their safe space and can work through and discuss the hardships and difficulties that they’ve experienced, or serious traumas and feel comfortable with that.”

To learn more about the Mental Health Services offered at Wellpoint Care Network, click here.

the work has just begun

The opening of the Well-being Wing is an exciting accomplishment at Wellpoint Care Network, but there is still much to do.

Our vision is to transform our historic, 18-acre campus into a vibrant neighborhood anchor where families, neighbors and community partners will find trauma-informed social services, mental health resources, and a place to connect, collaborate, and care for themselves and one another.

“Our deep commitment to engage and serve the community creates the vision for this rejuvenated campus in our longtime Milwaukee neighborhood,” said Ann Leinfelder Grove, President and CEO of Wellpoint Care Network. “It will be a place for creating connection; for citizens to receive quality mental health care and vital social services, for neighbors to attend a community meeting or tend a plot in the community garden and for our dedicated employees to experience a bright and modern workspace for their efforts to support children and families to thrive.”

Our goals include:

– Our Well-being Wing will continue to be enhanced and modernized to meet Milwaukee’s huge demand for mental health services, especially for children and adolescents. The new design will continue to be updated to promote and support self-regulating practices and family healing.

– Community Gardens and individual family gardening plots where children and adults can learn to grow healthy foods and connect with nature and community.

– The Peace Garden, a quiet natural space for contemplation and healing open to neighbors, staff, and our mental health clients and therapists.

– Walking paths and other recreational opportunities for safe outdoor exercise.

– Modern work spaces for therapists, social workers, and other team members to collaborate and coordinate care.

– Community Social Hall and multiple indoor and outdoor gathering spaces open to the public for connection, collaboration, and creation.

– Trauma Informed Care Training Center for sharing Wellpoint Care’s expertise with neighbors, community groups and others seeking to understand and mitigate the impact of trauma.

– Early Childhood Education will be offered by the YMCA, while other community partners will bring additional services to our neighborhood from the safety and comfort of Wellpoint Care.

In order to make this happen, Wellpoint Care Network is working to raise $5 million. YOU can make a major impact with a meaningful contribution to the Campaign for Community Connection. Your gift will create an innovative hub for community healing and a significant healthcare asset to serve Milwaukee for decades to come.

Donate here or contact Starlet Hayes, Vice President of Mission Advancement, to discuss your investment in the Campaign for Community Connection. You can reach her at (414) 465-1313 or at [email protected].