Mercy Urgent Care is pleased to announce its new program, Mercy Mindful, bringing mental healthcare services to its West Asheville location, at 1201 Patton Ave. To lead this program, Mercy hired two new providers specializing in mental health, physician assistants Megan Peterson and Rachael McLean.
Mercy Mindful services will be available upon patient request or provider referral to patients 16 and older by appointment. Services offered include: psychiatric evaluations and medication management for depression, bipolar disorder, anxiety, obsessive compulsive disorder, PTSD, eating disorders, substance use, and other mental health concerns; trauma-informed care; and referrals for neuropsychological, ADHD or autism testing, if appropriate.
In the 2021 Western North Carolina Health Network survey, 25 percent of Buncombe County respondents reported being unable to obtain needed mental health services in the past year. That figure, combined with a national overall increase in mental health issues, prompted Mercy to offer this new service to benefit the residents of Buncombe County.
“I joined Mercy Urgent Care because of its proven track record of caring for the community and expanding services when needs arise,” said Physician Assistant Megan Peterson. “I’m proud to be a founding Mercy Mindful provider alongside Rachael [McLean].”
Peterson and McLean both come to Mercy with master’s degrees in physician assistant studies. Peterson also recently earned a Certificate of Added Qualifications (CAQ) in psychiatry, and McLean will receive the same this fall. Peterson and McLean will assess and assist patients in finding continuity of care with an outpatient medical provider and/or therapist.
Mercy Mindful services are self-pay only and are available by appointment upon patient request or provider referral. Patients will be seen on Fridays from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. at Mercy Urgent Care West, 1201 Patton Ave. in Asheville. More information about Mercy Mindful, as well as the service request form, can be found here.
Mercy Mindful is not intended for mental health emergencies. If you or a loved one are experiencing a mental health crisis or emergency, please call Mobile Crisis at 1-888-573-1006 or go to your nearest emergency department for evaluation.
Update for February 2023: Racheal McLean is no longer a mental health provider at Mercy Urgent Care.
