Lancaster County residents with no health insurance can get free behavioral health services through a local clinic.

Latest news & resources: netNebraska.org/coronavirus

The People’s City Mission Free Medical Clinic is expanding care options in partnership with the University of Nebraska Medical Center College of Nursing.

The clinic in Lincoln is closed because of the coronavirus pandemic, and the services will be offered via telehealth.

Nick Guenzel is an assistant professor of psychiatric nursing at UNMC. He will supervise about a dozen graduate and doctoral level students to provide the telehealth.

“Everybody who needs mental health care should have a right to access whether or not they have a job that provides insurance or have another method to get insurance,” Guenzel said. “So we’re looking forward to playing a role in helping to meet those needs.”

The service is open to people who do not have health insurance or access to other behavioral health providers in the community.

Guenzel says he anticipates an increasing number of Nebraskans will need behavioral healthcare access because of the spread of COVID-19.

“Another factor is we have the increased stress as a result of social distancing and also the economic factor, so people may not have been treated before and may now find themselves in a position where they want to receive treatment,” he said.

Guenzel has been volunteering at the People’s City Mission clinic for eight years and already had plans to start offering telehealth services before the coronavirus pandemic.

Latest news & resources: netNebraska.org/coronavirus