MILWAUKEE — In an ongoing effort to address mental health within Milwaukee County, officials celebrated the latest step made toward ensuring people in the community have access to essential services.
"This movement is necessary, this movement is pivotal," said Aronica Williams-Murry, the chief medical officer for Milwaukee Health Services Incorporated.
On Friday, the county opened its third access clinic on Milwaukee's north side. A behavioral health center that is now a one-stop shop for families in Black and Brown communities seeking medical care
"The whole mission of federally qualified health centers is to be deposited in communities of need," said Williams-Murry.
The new clinic, which is now located inside the Isaac Coggs Heritage Health Center, will provide a number of services to the community including mental health and substance use disorders.
"We work with folks who do not have insurance," said Kenneth Cook, the director of outpatient treatment programs. "As we know there's a waitlist for folks that are in crisis that can be two to three months long."
"This center will have access to immediate care so being able to see somebody same day," said Williams-Murry.
Following the closure of the county's mental health complex last September, health officials say the placement of the clinic, which is located at 8200 W Silver Spring Dr., was critical in order to meet people where they're at.
"I think a silver lining from that move is that now people don't have to go to the west side to get help. They can go right down the street," said Cook.
"They can walk to the clinic where they don't have to go miles or have extended wait times or be contingent upon taking two or three buses only to get there and someone denies them care because they might have been five minutes late," said Williams-Murry
The Access Clinic North hours are as follows:
- Monday: 8 a.m. to 6 p.m.
- Tuesday-Friday: 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.
- Saturday-Sunday: Closed
The Access Clinics currently have three locations across the county to support community members in need:
- Access Clinic East: 210 W. Capitol Dr., Milwaukee, WI 53212
- Access Clinic North: 8200 W. Silver Spring Dr., Milwaukee, WI 53218
- Access Clinic South: 1635 W. National Ave., Milwaukee, WI 53204
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