Mental health illnesses can arise at any time and can strike anyone. According to the National Mental Health Association, one in every four families will have a member with mental illness. Often, family and friends do not know how and where to find help for their loved ones. The first stop for many Carter County residents is the Mercy Memorial Health Center in Ardmore. In the emergency room, patients are first evaluated to ensure they are physically stable.
Nurses then ascertain the seriousness of their mental condition.
The degree of depression is rated numerically in various stages from mild to severe. Mental health patients then see a counselor to find out exactly what kind of conditions exist. Counselors are on call 24 hours a day although they may have to drive in from their personal residences in the evenings and on weekends. According to the American Journal of Psychiatry, half of patients seeking mental health care in the United States rely on self-payment to pay their bills. Once counselors see the patient, they report to the physician on duty as to what kind of condition exists and how serious the situation is.