New practice expands mental health access
Moultrie News July 18, 2024
In the continued pursuit of addressing the largely unmet demand for mental health care, two local psychiatrists have recently partnered with the Turnwell Mental Health Network to launch a new outpatient facility in Mount Pleasant.
Town Council officials and members of the Mount Pleasant Chamber of Commerce gathered on July 16 at the 600 Seacoast Parkway medical site to provide Dr. Brandon Lilly, Dr. Ashley Collins and staff a warm welcome to the community during a Tuesday afternoon ribbon-cutting ceremony.
As a psychiatry specialist formerly employed at Trident Medical Center and Live Oak Mental Health & Wellness, Lilly explained how individuals, aged 10 and up, can simply call in for an intake assessment without a doctor's referral. In addition, the Mount Pleasant Turnwell Medical Health (aka Turnwell Mental Health of Charleston) also accepts most insurance plans, which isn't always the case for those in need of mental health services.
"We are offering general outpatient mental healthcare, but also specialty service lines, such as SPRAVATO (a nasal spray prescribed to adults with treatment-resistant depression)," stated the West Virginia native.
Another innovative solution available at the local Turnwell office is Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (TMS), described as a non-invasive and non-systemic (drug-free) method to restore mental balance and mitigate depression.
TMS is typically advised to patients who have either had no success taking anti-depressants or have experienced side effects that are intolerable.
Billed as "safe" and "effective" by corresponding literature, TMS consists of a series of repetitive, brief and highly focused magnetic pulses designed to stimulate brain cells, with only transient dizziness and headaches listed as possible after-effects.
Most recently, TMS has been approved for adolescents, according to Lilly, and is also covered by most insurance carriers.
In comparing the types of patients he sees, the Marshall University grad noted that adolescents and teens commonly present issues dealing with pandemic-related disruption of school, graduation and proms. Seniors, conversely, are typically afflicted with mental dilemmas related to their loss of independence.
"Depression is very under recognized and untreated in elderly patients. Dr. Collins and I have extensive experience treating geriatric patients, even in nursing homes, and we've seen tremendous responses to treatment," Lilly added.
Those seeking additional information on Turnwell Mental Health are invited to visit https://turnwell-sc.com/ or call 843-868-2005. Operating hours are M-F 8a.m.-5 p.m.
