NEW ULM — Brown County commissioners learned of the challenges of mental health programs from county human services behavioral staff Tuesday.

Brown County Behavioral Health Supervisor Julie Hogen said provider shortages continue to affect access to outpatient mental health services.

She said after Southern Minnesota Behavioral Health of New Ulm closed its doors last year, several independent providers opened in New Ulm and Sleepy Eye, reducing client wait lists for individual therapy, diagnostic assessments and medication management.

Hogen said adult rehabilitative mental health and children’s therapeutic and support services are experienced staffing shortages, largely due to high staff turnover. She said lack of capacity continues to create patient back logs, especially hospitalization for aggressive clients.

Hogen said utilization of the New Ulm Medical Center (NUMC) behavioral health unit has been running at 100% with high child and adult mental health traffic. More aggressive clients are often transferred to larger Allina behavioral units in the Twin Cities.

Brown County Human Services has a contract with Brown County Public Health to provide medication management services to clients who don’t have any other payment source.

A variety of transportation services are available through county human services. Choices include public providers Heartland and Hermann Express, TRUE Transit, private providers and volunteer drivers.

TRUE Transit will pick up in New Ulm when someone schedules ride and transport to any location in Blue Earth, Nicollet or Le Sueur Counties. Their rate is $5 per ride. They don’t bill insurance companies.

Brown County Children’s Mental Health Case Manager Abby Schwab said the Brown County Local Advisory Council (LAC) boosts mental health awareness and education by providing recommendations, reviews and evaluations of community mental health services.

Local organizations and individuals are invited to speak on their community work at quarterly LAC meetings at Brown County Human Services.

Schwab said a number of people were put on a LAC volunteer list at a recent mental health conference at the Sleepy Eye Event Center. Call 507-359-6500 for more information.

The Bridge on Center (Street) Clubhouse, located next to county human services, is a safe place for individuals with mental illness to socialize, participate in games and other activities. It remained open throughout 2023 with on group limitations. Members who were sick or exposed to illness were asked to stay home or mask according to Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) guidelines.

Additional funding this year was used to buy a gaming system, Smart TV, outdoor gas grill and new flooring.

“Our members tell us they really enjoy having a meal with friends at the clubhouse. Sitting at a table like a family is very comforting in a world where they sometimes feel alone,” said Hogen.

Members are encouraged to help shop and cook for shared meals with coordinator Jackie Nelson.

The clubhouse started a ‘Pay It Forward’ group that gave fleece tie blankets to the fire department, delivered puzzles to nursing homes and assisted living facilities and participated in backpack and lunchbox projects for school children, and Salvation Army bell ringing, among other things,” said Hogen.

Favorite group activities of Bridge on Center members include bowling, baking, painting, arts and crafts, yard games, walking at the track, birthday parties, bingo, puzzles, coffee and musical events.

Commissioner Brian Braun thanked Hogen and Brown County Children’s Mental Health Case Manager Abby Schwab for their mental health work he said makes a positive difference in Brown County.