Specialized Psychiatric Care Available in Harlan

There are so many titles in mental healthcare: psychiatrist, psychologist, therapist, nurse practitioner, physician assistant, counselor, social worker. Figuring out who does what can be confusing! Reaching out for help with challenges like depression or anxiety can be hard enough, but many people struggle with how to begin and where to seek help. Myrtue Behavioral Health is working to simplify the process by highlighting the immediate availability of specialized psychiatric care with their team of advanced practice providers (APPs).

Myrtue’s psychiatric team includes three full-time providers: two Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioners (PMHNP) Amanda Sumner and Patty Hildreth, and one psychiatry focused Physician Assistant (PA-C) Shelby Johnson. The psychiatric team at Myrtue Behavioral Health brings a wealth of training and experience to the community.

Amanda Sumner is a doctorally prepared board-certified Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner. She received her Doctor of Nursing Practice from the University of Washington and her PMHNP certificate from the University of Iowa. She is also a board certified Family Nurse Practitioner and practiced as a Primary Care Provider before transitioning to psychiatry. Sumner served for seven years as an active duty Navy Nurse Corps Officer as well. Sumner shares that she switched to a mental health focus due to the overwhelming number of patients she was seeing in primary care that required advanced psychiatric medication management.

“I would try to refer my primary care patients, and the resources were just not there,” said Sumner. She wanted to help with the deficit of specialized psychiatric medication providers so she returned to the University of Iowa to receive a post-graduate certificate in psychiatric mental health.

Sumner’s experience points to a larger national trend. A recent report from the Bureau of Health Workforce shares an alarming statistic: as of December of 2023, over half of Americans, 169 million people, live in a Mental Health Professional Shortage Area. Local residents have expressed both the importance of mental health support and the problem of too few providers. Mental health challenges and access to healthcare were both top priority themes in the most recent Shelby County Community Health Needs Assessment. With this felt need, it is especially important to help the community understand what resources are available.

“To have access to providers of this caliber in our community is such a remarkable resource. Our APPs do a great job helping our clients to effectively manage their mental health symptoms,” said Kate Smith, LMHC, Clinical Coordinator at Myrtue Behavioral Health. As Smith also serves patients as a mental health therapist, she sees the benefits of specialized psychiatric care for her patients needing medication evaluation and management.

“I often have clients share that having specialized providers for psychiatric medication management is so beneficial for their overall mental health treatment,” said Smith.

Patty Hildreth shares that she worked in nursing for 14 years before continuing her education at the University of Nebraska Medical Center to earn her Master’s degree as a Family Nurse Practitioner. During that training, Hildreth notes that she realized the importance of psychiatric care and continued with post-masters training as an Advanced Practice Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner (PMHNP). Hildreth has extensive experience in various medical settings including in emergency medicine, family practice, outpatient mental health clinics, and inpatient care in a mental health unit. She also shares that her years as an RN give her a well-rounded perspective working with her patients.

“My past work in nursing administering medication and monitoring patients goes into the quality care and experience I provide as nurse practitioner. I support my patients about making lifestyle choices that can reduce their disease risk and always approach patients as individuals,” said Hildreth.

Shelby Johnson earned her Bachelor of Science from the University of South Dakota and her Master’s in Physician Assistant Studies from Stephens College in Missouri. She shares that her PA program consisted of several on site clinical rotations that included mental health, and she feels grateful to be able to bring specialized psychiatric care to the Harlan area.

“I enjoy working closely with my patients to improve their quality of life in some of the most challenging times. It is rewarding to get to know my patients and include them in the treatment plan and decision-making process,” said Johnson. “As advanced practice providers, we undergo rigorous education and training to provide quality mental health care. Here at Myrtue, we collaborate with primary care and therapists to ensure a patient is receiving the best possible care. We also consult with a psychiatrist or refer if needed in complex cases.”

Johnson notes that meeting with a psychiatric provider does not mean you are committed to taking medication. Patients work with their provider to decide if medication would be a good fit. Johnson says that she typically starts medication at low doses and meets frequently to check whether symptoms are improving or if the dose needs adjusted. Hildreth adds that psychiatric care options continue to expand.

“Scientific advances and research has greatly improved and expanded the knowledge about the brain and mental illness. There are a lot of great choices for treatment methods and medications available,” said Hildreth. “Your mental health and health of your brain is just as important as the rest of your body.”

Myrtue Behavioral Health offers a wide spectrum of mental healthcare, including outpatient therapy, medication evaluation and management, substance abuse evaluation and treatment, and community-based services. To learn more about services or to reach out for support, contact Myrtue Behavioral Health at 712.755.5056 or visit our Behavioral Health webpage.