HealthNet of Rock County to add critical behavioral-health services, rebrand as move goes forward
HealthNet of Rock County, a nonprofit organization that provides a wide variety of health care services at low or no cost to underserved residents, today announced two new initiatives: the addition of behavioral health services and a major rebrand. These new initiatives come as the organization continues to search for new space for a consolidated medical and dental clinic.
The fresh brand better captures the essence of the organization, helping stakeholders to more easily intuit the wide breadth of services HealthNet offers at a glance. The addition of yet another critical health care service— behavioral health—is also reflective of HealthNet’s growing array of health care options tailored to meet community need, as well as its mission to serve its clients as comprehensively as possible.
HealthNet of Rock County’s Chief Executive Officer Ian Hedges stated, “This new rebrand solidifies our commitment to enhance and expand our services while remaining a mainstay in the community for charitable healthcare. These new efforts continue to propel our momentum in getting into a new, consolidated building by the end of 2022.”
Behavioral Health Stephanie Knueppel, owner of Stateline Mental Health Services, led HealthNet’s Behavioral Health Taskforce, which convened in 2019 to identify the most significant behavioral health gaps in the community. The taskforce shared its results with the HealthNet Board in September, recommending that HealthNet provide:
- bilingual psychotherapy,
- sliding fee-scale counseling to low-income individuals,
- case management for individuals with serious mental illnesses and significant barriers, and
- medication assisted treatment (MAT) for women or mothers.
Motivations for various elements of the recommendation included the fact that therapy for individuals who speak Spanish can only be secured from two providers in Rock County, despite the need for five to six providers at a minimum to meet current needs. Additionally, despite a growing need for addiction services across Rock County, there is little to no support available locally for women in need of medication assisted treatment (MAT).
“This is a group that historically experiences greater challenges in overcoming addiction. Gender-responsive treatment could be greatly impactful to women who need assistance, and HealthNet of Rock County is determined to begin a MAT that focuses on the unique needs of low-income women and mothers in Rock County,” said Hedges.
Brand Refresh
HealthNet’s approach to its rebranding, which included in-person individual and group interviews as well as a community survey, was in keeping with its ongoing efforts to engage a broad range of stakeholders.
The effort aligns with its goal of collaboratively improving the health of its neighbors, both within and beyond the walls of its clinics. The new look and tagline were a direct outcome of the feedback provided.
“We had heard that many people did not understand that we are a comprehensive health clinic for the uninsured” says Hedges. “If we are to eliminate barriers to access care, we wanted our brand to show that our services are comprehensive and will become less fragmented when we move into our new facility in 2022.”
HealthNet’s dedication to providing quality healthcare helps people who may otherwise choose not to seek care because of a lack of health insurance and the fears associated with incurring debt from medical bills. When individuals prolong treatment or choose not to seek care, everyone ultimately suffers.
HealthNet proactively addresses potential issues by providing vision, dental, prescriptions, Seal-A-Smile, chiropractic, behavioral health and other medical services at no cost or an affordable rate to residents of Rock County.
Please contact us for more information on HealthNet’s new look and new services, or to sign up to volunteer or make a donation.
