SalusCare turns to telehealth services in Cape Coral

In wake of hurricane, loss of lease with the city, mental health & substance abuse provider concentrates on online-services in Cape Coral

With the loss of its lease with the city, SalusCare lost its facility in Cape Coral, but continues to offer services through telehealth and its Fort Myers location.

"We continue to offer telehealth services for those that can't get across the bridge. It is a tool and not every tool works for each individual. There are some challenges we treat where face-to-face is more therapeutic and improves outcomes," SalusCare President and Chief Executive Officer Stacey Cook said.

Hurricane Ian left extensive damage to the building in September 2022 which is when it was closed down, and has not reopened. Telehealth became an option, so they could continue to serve patients in Cape Coral. Patients can also seek help at the Fort Myers campuses.

"If they were able to access transportation, from work or other responsibilities they might have," gone to the Fort Myers location "if there weren't barriers for transportation, employment or finances," Cook said.

The not-for-profit mental health and substance abuse service provider worked to get back to providing face-to-face care in Cape Coral, she said, adding they have also worked to repair and reopen the building and had weekly meetings with FEMA.

"We put $400,000 of our own money to repair the roof and secure it from any future damages while waiting for FEMA dollars. That is when the city terminated the lease. We moved whatever remaining items we had in that building. We are not providing any services in that building. That building belongs wholly and completely to Cape Coral," Cook said, adding that SalusCare no longer has a lease with the city and the building is out of their hands.

The hope is to find a new location in Cape Coral, a city she said is her heart and home.

"What we are interested in is hopefully finding an alternative site in Cape Coral to provide the services face-to-face where we need to," Cook said - hopefully through some sort of partnership opportunity.

SalusCare served a significant number of individuals when they were open in Cape Coral - 900 patients a month - both children and adults for behavioral health services.

"We worked hard and made good on our promise to come back. We are going to keep on pushing and fighting for the city of Cape Coral that we have given so much love and love so much," Cook said. "This is certainly a city that is growing exponentially and wonderful to serve. We are here and ready to do that."

Cook said the organization provides behavioral health services to children and families with a full continuum of care. Services include outpatient care, psychiatry, crisis and acute care.

The Cape Coral location provided assessment services, giving patients a referral to services they may need to help with mental health or substance abuse disorders. SalusCare also offered access to a number of self help groups, such as Alcohol Anonymous, Narcotics Anonymous, and AL-Anon meetings.

"Before Hurricane Ian and the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, our group help two meetings in the building every Wednesday evening at 6:30 p.m. and 8 p.m. Each meeting served 50-75 people. The SalusCare facility has a long-time connection with groups such as ours that primarily focus on not only substance abuse, but mental health issues as well," Tisha Patrick wrote in a letter. "SalusCare provided a safe space for us to meet and receive substance abuse and mental health education and information on a weekly basis. Once the building was damaged, we had to find other means to hold our meetings, which was not an easy task. Our group had to split up and we have had to endure the loss of group members that were not able to come to our other alternative locations, none of which has ever been made permanent."

SalusCare Executive Administrator Michelle Sutherland said they also partnered with the United Way and had a United Way house at the Cape Coral location. She said there was a food bank there at one time, and Community Cooperative provided meals, and job assistance was provided.

"There were so many individuals and families that we serviced with substance abuse or mental health challenges," Cook said. "There was so much more going on with them - physically or other socioeconomic needs. United Way and their partner organizations were a huge part of that continuum."

SalusCare relies on federal and state funding, as well as grants and community support. The financial loss, as well as the loss of the building and its assets, has presented a significant financial hardship, officials said. More than 50% of their patients or either under or uninsured, which further exacerbates the challenges.

Meanwhile, the need for services has grown since Hurricane Ian, with other components thrown in as well with social and racial injustice.

"There is an increase in individuals that previously hadn't touched our services and needed them," Cook said, adding that others are in recurring crisis. "Individuals are coming back to us more frequently because of symptom occurrence, or other symptoms."

Providing outpatient services, locally and nearby, is paramount for keeping an individual from reaching a crisis situation, Cook said.

"Maybe they will stop in, and reach out, and their first stop won't be a crisis, or Baker Act," she said.

Sutherland said they learned from FEMA that typically the mental health impacts from a disaster hits in year two.

"That makes our presence more necessary and more important for the residents of Cape Coral," she said.

Cook said if they are able to identify, diagnose, and treat, they can prevent and stabilize the conditions and diseases much more quickly.

Individuals seeking help can reach out by phone - either calling or texting - 239-275-3222, stop by the main location 3763 Evans Ave., in Fort Myers, or visit www.saluscareflorida.org.