Delaware’s Division of Substance Abuse and Mental Health (DSAMH) is opening the second of three walk-in centers meant to connect patients with mental health and substance abuse treatment free of charge.
The Sussex County Bridge Clinic opens Monday at the Promise Access Center in Georgetown. A similar facility opened last March in New Castle and a third is planned for Kent County later this year.
Division Director Elizabeth Romero says since launching the New Castle location, her division has learned the importance of partnering with local law enforcement.
“Sometimes they have a larger backlog and so we help to support them in that,” said Romero. “We’ve had law enforcement that have brought folks by the clinic when folks needed help. We’ve also had people call us and we outreach to places when people need help.”
Romero notes Sussex is the logical place for the second walk-in clinic as it has the state’s second highest overdose rate and many people in the county struggle to access care.
“We have many dedicated providers in Sussex who are amazing, but we also know that there is a great need for more services that help people transition to those providers and help bridge people to that care,” she said.
The walk-in clinics offer screening and referrals to treatment as well as training for administering naloxone, an overdose-reversal medication.
The facilities are open weekdays during the week, are equipped with telehealth services and are staffed by DSAMH providers partnering with local psychiatrists.
The clinics are funded by state dollars and federal grants.
