Free telehealth appointments coming to Bedford Public Library all of June & July
BEDFORD — Community members will have access to free telehealth appointments at the Bedford Public Library during the months of June and July.
The telehealth well-being appointments are designed to offer unrestricted access to online support. Students from the IU School of Social Work will be hosting these telehealth appointments under the supervision of licensed social workers.
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The appointments will be available from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. every Wednesday in June and July at the Bedford Public Library, 1323 K St. This service is open to all adults aged 18 years and older. All of the conversations will take place through a video chat at the library and will remain confidential.
While mental health represents a significant element of these virtual appointments, Bedford Public Library Director Nathan Watson said the workers will also be providing a referral service for other important resources.
"Mental health is a big part of it but things like food, clothing, housing or health care. They're also a referral service for all of that," Watson said.
The Bedford Public Library, IU Center for Rural Engagement, Indiana Rural Health Association and the IU School of Social Work are teaming up to bring this initiative to Bedford and Lawrence County.
Watson sees these telehealth services as an extension of the services Bedford Public Library provides as an established cultural and community asset.
"Libraries have always been a place where people come to look for answers and find resources. Always throughout history, that's what libraries have done," Watson said. "With this partnership, we're able to connect our customers and community members with someone who's trained to assist in their mental, emotional and social needs in ways that librarians are not trained to do."
More: Check out what's happening at Bedford Public Library's summer discovery program.
IU Director of Campus Partnerships Todd Burkhardt, who is also involved in the collaboration, said another goal of the free appointments is to tackle the stigma that is often associated with mental health topics by improving access to licensed professionals.
"This is a way to provide access to those in rural communities in a stigma-free environment," Burkhardt said. "Libraries are incredibly important as a way for meeting for social interaction, but also for learning and to hear what's going on. So I think one of the most important things in a small town or any town is a public library."
Similar initiatives are underway in libraries located in Sullivan and Pike counties.
Watson said he hopes the collaboration serves as a timely reminder to all community members that resources are available to assist them with any problems they may encounter.
"I hope they know that whatever they are going through, there is somebody out there who can help them," Watson said. "I also hope they know that the community has a vested interest in making sure that we all are well."
Appointments must be reserved in advance. This can be done in person by visiting the library circulation desk, calling 812-275-4471 or by emailing Nathan Watson at nwatson@bedlib.com.
This article originally appeared on The Times-Mail: Bedford Public Library to host free telehealth appointments
