A federal grant will allow a social service agency in southern Illinois to offer a new program to improve someone's overall health.
Centerstone is receiving a $1.6 million grant over the next four years to implement an integrated health program designed to help a patient's mental and physical health.
Mary Wilson is the clinical manager at Illinois Center Healthcare, a Centerstone facility in Marion. She says this is will be a more holistic approach to healthcare, so patients don't have to see a doctor for their physical health and a separate therapist for their mental health needs.
"With the integrated healthcare, we're wanting people to understand that the physical stressors affect their emotional. But, also how their emotional puts a toll on their physical being, such as the diabetes, their blood pressure, the joints, arthritis, multiple different things."
She says with a lack of state funding, this federal money will allow them to bring in a primary healthcare provider, a wellness coach, a coordinator and a therapist for substance abuse to allow for a holistic approach to treating someone's overall health.
"Just to be able to provide six jobs for people that wasn't sure what they were going to do and to provide mental healthcare and physical care for our community is a blessing within itself."
The program will start in January at Illinois Center Healthcare in Marion.
For more information, call or stop by any of the Centerstone locations in southern Illinois.
