News & NotesCaprock Alliance for Mental Wellness, Telehealth
Nursing Graduate: 2018, 2014
When Stacy Hobbs starts talking about the difficulties in accessing mental health services, her voice, ordinarily calm, tightens. She exhales sharply, “It’s so frustrating.” But she is working to change that.
A stint at the San Angelo State School introduced Hobbs to patients with developmental disabilities and psychiatric disorders. Years working in hospital emergency rooms showed her how many patients face psychiatric disorders and substance use issues.
Hobbs opened her own practice in July; her work is in high demand now that systemic mental health needs are aggravated by the coronavirus pandemic. Anxiety and depression are on the rise, and slashed treatment facility capacities exacerbate the situation.
“Think about people who are homicidal, suicidal or their bipolar mania is extreme. Only half of those people are able to get the help they need [through in-patient facilities],” Hobbs said. To help bridge the gap, Hobbs now offers telehealth services to patients throughout the state. As her practice grows, so does her impact. — Glenys Young