Mental Wellness

Mental Health and Wellness Services, Because You Don't Have to Struggle in Silence

Mental wellness, like physical wellness, can range from positive and healthy to symptomatic and detrimental. Mental wellness services may include prevention, identification and treatment. Treatment for mental wellness sometimes requires medically managed, individualized treatment plans which may include medications, behavioral interventions and therapy.

If you or a loved one are in crisis, call or text the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline at 988 or chat at 988lifeline.org, or text the Crisis Text Line (text HELLO to 741741).

Call the Suicide & Crisis Lifeline

It is okay to take care of you.

It is okay to not be okay. It is okay to talk about and prioritize your mental wellness.

Taking care of your mental wellness should be similar to taking care of your physical wellness. When you physically don’t feel good, you call your provider. When you mentally don’t feel good, you should call your provider too.

It is safe and confidential.

Mercer Health’s Mental Wellness services are provided in a safe environment and private space.

Safe, non-judgmental, respectful and trustful connections are important to healing and overall mental wellness.

It is individualized and thoughtfully provided.

Mercer Health’s Mental Wellness services are thoughtfully delivered by a specialized provider in a specially designed office.

Dedicated mental health and wellness resources ensure the highest quality of care is provided which in turn improves patient experience and outcomes.

How to Begin

Your primary care provider will need to make a referral to Mercer Health Mental Wellness. Your primary care provider must be a part of Mercer Health Medical Group. There are two ways you can begin the process:

You can call your primary care provider’s office and ask for a referral.
You can talk to your primary care provider at an appointment to see if a referral is right for you.

Call Mercer Health Mental Wellness

What to Expect

What to expect at your first appointment?

It is important for your care team to get to know you by asking for your medical and psychological history. This information will be important to determine the best treatment plan. A treatment plan may include:

Further evaluation, such as lab tests
Starting or altering medication
Getting recommendations for specific forms of counseling or therapy
Coordinating with other health professionals, such as a primary care doctor or therapist

What to expect at follow-up appointments?

Regular follow up appointments are important to ensure the right treatment plan is in place. The frequency and duration of these visits will depend on the specific condition and other factors.

Our Mental Wellness Team

Buffy Froning, PMHNP

Beverly (Buffy) Froning (Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner) collaborates with Mercer Health Medical Group primary care providers to offer integrated mental health services. Patients must be established with a Mercer Health Medical Group physician and referred to the Medical Group Mental Wellness office.

Buffy will often be accompanied by Ripsi, a therapy dog specially trained to comfort anxious and depressed patients.

Dawn Longbrake, PMHNP

Dawn Longbrake, PMHNP (Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner) collaborates with Mercer Health Medical Group primary care providers to offer integrated mental health services. Patients must be established with a Mercer Health Medical Group physician and referred to the Medical Group Mental Wellness office.

Ripsi, Therapy Dog

Ripsi is a therapy dog specially trained to comfort anxious and depressed patients. He often accompanies Buffy Froning, PMHNP during her treatment sessions with patients.