Behavioral Wellness

The number of individuals with serious mental illness who reside in nursing homes now equals the number of individuals in all psychiatric facilities across the United States. According to a recent survey by the National Opinion Research Center, as many as 85% of nursing home residents have some kind of mental or behavioral health diagnosis. Despite nursing homes playing a critical role in providing mental health care to patients, access to psychiatric care is ranked lowest in terms of specialty accessibility. In fact, psychiatrists are the least likely specialists to accept Medicare, making federally mandated mental health care difficult for facilities to secure.

Staff Training Opportunities

Psychotropic Medication Management

Individual Psychiatric Treatment

Robin Jewett, DWSc, PA-C

Director of Behavioral Wellness

Robin Jewett, DMSc, PA-C, is a dedicated healthcare professional specializing in psychiatry and internal medicine. With degrees from Indiana Wesleyan University, Trevecca Nazarene University, and Rocky Mountain University, she has also served on faculty at these institutions. Robin is passionate about advocating for the mental health needs of older adults in Oregon and inspiring others to do the same. As a Certified Dementia Specialist, Positive Approach to Care Consultant, and Certified Geriatric Care Professional, she brings a holistic approach to patient care. Outside of medicine, she enjoys planning epic competitive family vacations and cheering for the Nashville Predators.

How We Can Help

Staff Training Opportunities: Empower your team to provide person-centered care to
those with mental health challenges.
Psychotropic Meeting Participation: Access a psychiatric prescriber’s experience with
psychotropic medications, diagnostic justification, and
treatment plan development.
Individual Psychiatric Treatment: Ongoing management of residents with mental illness or
behavioral challenges, and guidance for complex medical
scenarios due to emergent behavioral problems

Finding Solutions

At Ascent Healthcare, we understand the complexities of delivering behavioral health services in both short and long-term care settings. That’s why we’re introducing Ascent Healthcare Behavioral Wellness. Instead of prescribing a one-size-fits-all solution, we are committed to collaborating with facilities to identify what truly adds value in their unique context.

Download our
Behavioral Wellness Guide

Nursing Home Mental Health

References:

Gerlach, L.B. and Maust, D.T., 2023. Falling off a cliff: Psychiatric care of nursing home residents. Journal of the American Geriatrics Society, 71(4), pp.1014-1016.
Grebbin, Shelby. “Skilled Nursing Providers Step Up to Meet Increasing Behavioral Health Needs, Regulatory Scrutiny.” Skillednursingnews.com, 28 Feb. 2023, skillednursingnews.com/2023/02/skilled-nursing-providers-step-up-to-meet-increasing-behavioral-health-needs-regulatory-scrutiny/. Accessed 23 Feb. 2024.