Page 42 - Robeson Living Spring 2018

“Our door is always open”

Anthony Grimaldi
SeHealth Behavioral Health
Services Director

Whole-person care: No judgment, just help
Stigma should not keep people from getting help for men-
At Southeastern Health’s Southeastern Regional Medical tal health and substance abuse disorders. A basic tenet at
Center, nearly 1 out of every 9 hospital stays is related SeHealth is this: “You’re not a bad person trying to get
to a behavioral health disorder, says SeHealth Behavioral good. You’re an ill person trying to get well,” Grimaldi
Health Services Director Anthony Grimaldi. says. “And there’s no shame in suffering from alcoholism
or addiction and mental health disorders. The only shame
The term behavioral health disorder may not sound famil- is doing nothing about it.”
iar. It refers to mental illness, substance use and addiction.
Often, these conditions cut deep into individuals and fami- Here’s a quick look at what’s available at SeHealth:
lies. The physical, emotional and economic effects are felt
throughout the community. In his role, Grimaldi has seen An inpatient unit. SRMC has a 33-bed psychiatric unit that
the impact in Robeson County. serves nearly 2,200 people a year. The unit offers acute
detox services as well as acute mental health treatment.
But people here are also “unbelievably resilient,” Grimaldi Evaluations and therapies are provided by psychiatrists,
notes. So, he wants you to know this too: There is hope. nurse practitioners, physician assistants, psychiatric nurs-
Help is here at SRMC for you or a loved one. es, social workers and therapeutic counselors.

“Our door is always open, no matter how many times you “We provide an atmosphere where people can learn healthy
believe you have failed,” Grimaldi says. “Everybody de- coping mechanisms and new life skill sets,” Grimaldi
serves an opportunity to get well again.” says. “One of the things we focus on is preventing relapse
from either a substance use disorder or a mental health
Hope and healing disorder.”

Everyone has triggers that prompt them to stop treating
SeHealth offers a wide range of behavioral health services
to help people heal. their illness or to stop believing that it’s serious enough
to need treatment, he says. Triggers can be certain places,
“Probably the most common behavioral health disor- people or situations, for instance.
ders we see are depression; trauma-related disorders, like
PTSD; chronic schizophrenia; and chronic bipolar disease,” Outpatient clinic. Southeastern Psychiatry Clinic serves
Grimaldi says. “The most chronic substance abuse disorder children and adults. A variety of psychiatric and substance
we see is alcoholism, second right now probably to cocaine abuse services are offered, such as counseling and medi-
use. A close third is opioid disorders.” cines.
Robeson Living ~ Spring 2018
Page 42