Parkersburg, W.Va. (August 10, 2021) – After being awarded the Certified Community Behavioral Health Clinic Grant, Westbrook Health Services is partnering with West Virginia University at Parkersburg’s Veterans Resource Center to enhance awareness of available mental health services.

The Behavioral Health Clinic will be streamed on the college’s Facebook page on Thursday, Sept. 2 at 12:15 p.m.

“As the WVU Parkersburg Veterans Advocate, I often liaison with other military resource providers, and when I see a service than may be of benefit to our students, I want the resource provider to let our students how they can access it,” said Veterans Advocate Darren Shearlock.

Tim Leach, veteran and service coordinator at Westbrook Health Services, will be presenting on behavioral health services offered to the military personnel, veterans and their families. During his 25 years of military service, Leach served as a staff sergeant for the Army, in addition to spending time in the National Guard.

“There’s several different behavioral health services that are a benefit to the community, if only they could access them. If the community doesn’t know about these services, it’s almost like they don’t exist,” Shearlock said.

The clinic will offer behavioral health services including: mental health disorders, substance abuse, case management, therapy and doctor services. It is open to anyone interested in learning, but is particularly pertinent to those with military ties.

“Currently in the United States, there are 22 military suicides a day. Part of that high number is due to lack of proper behavioral health treatments and substance abuse treatments. If we can get this information out there, so those services can be available, hopefully we can lower that suicide rate,” Shearlock said.

For more information, please contact Darren Shearlock at Darren.Shearlock@wvup.edu or 304-424-8337.