2025 Fall/Winter 18 Brightside accepts self-referrals and referrals from healthcare providers. Transportation services are available within a 50-mile radius. Patients must have a condition requiring a psychiatrist’s supervision and must have insurance. Individual, Group Therapy Participants receive individual and group therapy three days a week, usually for six months, plus psychiatric evaluations and medication management. “With group therapy, they find a support that they probably wouldn’t get elsewhere from other people going through similar problems,” Bennett said. Sarah Don Lott, FNP, PMHNP, a psychiatric mental health nurse practitioner, is the new Director of Nursing for the Senior Care Unit. A Covington County native who grew up in Sumrall, she became a registered nurse with a bachelor’s degree in nursing from William Carey University, then a family nurse practitioner with a master’s in clinical nursing from Southern Miss. She joined CCH in 2018 at the Family Care Express clinic in Collins. “I quickly realized that mental health resources were limited,” she said. “I made the decision to further my education and pursue the postmaster’s certificate in psychiatric mental health so that I could be a resource for those in need.” The Senior Care Unit provides compassionate short-term inpatient psychiatric care specifically designed for individuals age 55 or older. With an average length of stay of 14 days, this unit focuses on creating a supportive environment where seniors can receive the specialized attention they need. Referrals to the unit are welcomed from a variety of sources, including healthcare providers, counseling agencies, legal professionals, and concerned family members, all working together to ensure the well-being of their loved ones. For added convenience, transportation services are available to facilitate access to the facility, making it easier for seniors to embark on their journey toward improved mental health and emotional stability. Team Approach Covington County Hospital also offers psychiatric care for acute care and swing bed (short-term skilled nursing care) patients and residents at Arrington Living Center, a skilled nursing facility in Collins. “You don’t have to live with feeling bad,” Bennett said. Treatment can help. Sometimes, it can be lifechanging not only for patients but also for those around them. She recalled an 89-year-old man who came to the Brightside Intensive Outpatient Program. His anger had alienated his family. “He told me, ‘This has helped me so much. This is the first time in my life I have ever talked about my feelings.’” ‘Such a Difference!’ The therapy enabled him to mend his family relationships. “I got a call from his daughter, and she said, ‘I see such a difference in him!’” Covington Place Therapy & Counseling (mental health and substance abuse treatment; 6 or older), call 601.698.0263. Brightside Intensive Outpatient Program (mental health treatment; 55 or older), call 601.765.4600. Senior Care Unit (short-term inpatient psychiatric care; 55 or older), call 601.698.0158. Alzheimer's & Dementia Caregiver Support Group, (meets first Tuesday of each month), call 601.698.0128. LEARN MORE Sarah Don Lott, FNP, PMHNP
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