This column was originally featured on Newportri.com.
Too often, people seeking help for their health are left to piece together the system themselves. They travel between different providers, seeing one (or more) for a medical issue, another for mental health, and maybe a third for substance use—retelling their story each time. When care is fragmented in this way, important details and connections may be overlooked.
Consider a woman in her late 50s who is struggling to sleep. Like many people, she looks for a solution that feels manageable and discreet. She starts using cannabis edibles at night. At first, they help her relax. But soon she finds herself experiencing intense late-night cravings. She begins overeating foods she normally avoids. Over time, she gains weight and her blood sugar rises.
She visits her primary care physician, where the diabetes markers are addressed. Diet is discussed, and they talk about her sleep issues. But her cannabis use may never enter the conversation, perhaps because of embarrassment or stigma. Without that piece of the story, her health may continue to suffer.
Creating a Seamless Response
Now imagine a team-based approach. With her consent, her primary care provider shares her information with a behavioral health clinician, based in the office. They explore the idea that stress or anxiety is contributing to insomnia, and she’s asked about substance use, and the cannabis use is discussed. The full picture of her health emerges, and the team can now create a treatment plan that meets her overall goals. No judgment. No unnecessary bureaucracy. Just coordinated care.
Across the state, Certified Community Behavioral Health Clinics (CCBHCs) like Newport Mental Health are building a safety net to provide this kind of connected care. This allows Rhode Islanders to get the help they need, without being re-traumatized by repeating their story to multiple providers. When someone reaches out for help—whether for depression, substance use, anxiety, or a complex medical issue intertwined with behavioral health—we are creating a system ready to respond seamlessly.
Why This Matters in Newport County
Behavioral health challenges are visible in our emergency departments, our schools, our workplaces, and on our streets.
In 2024, the RI Department of Health reported that emergency services (EMS) responded to more than 2,000 non-fatal opioid overdoses, with about 80% of individuals transported to hospitals for care. In Newport County alone, there were 70 opioid-related overdose responses, highlighting the continued need for accessible substance use treatment services in the community. At the same time, the overall demand for outpatient behavioral health services continues to grow; Newport Mental Health averages between 70 and 100 new people seeking services every month.
This data tells us two things: the need is real, and people are reaching out for help.
CBHCs are designed to evolve to meet the community’s specific needs. Newport Mental Health’s Consumer Advisory Council gives clients, caregivers, and community members a voice in our future. By sharing their lived experience and ideas, council members help ensure our programs remain responsive and person-centered. The council meets monthly and anyone interested in joining can contact Julie Sherman Kumar ([email protected]) for details.
In addition, a formal community needs assessment is conducted every three years. In our first assessment, completed by a team of researchers from The University of Rhode Island (URI) in 2023, respondents pointed to the need for readily accessible services. This led to expanding our Rhode Island Outreach (RIO) program, sending more teams into the community to work proactively; adding to our walk-in hours; and extending our in-person emergency response to 24/7/365 coverage. Our next assessment is currently underway, and the report will be delivered by URI later this summer.
What Truly Comprehensive Care Looks Like
We also identified the need for comprehensive and inclusive strategies that address all aspects of a person’s life. This is where collaboration becomes critically important.
CCBHCs are structured to provide comprehensive services either directly or through formal Care Coordination Agreements and partnerships with hospitals, primary care providers, and community organizations. This integration creates clear pathways, shared expectations, and communication that reduces duplication and closes gaps. We are not meant to replace existing providers. We are meant to connect them.
Consider the story of a young client as an example of how compassionate, connected services can help someone move from crisis toward stability and hope. After years of family conflict, they found themselves moving between relatives’ homes and eventually becoming homeless while working hard to maintain a job. Exhausted and unsure where to turn, they were connected with Newport Mental Health. With the support of a dedicated case manager knowledgeable in all community resources and partners, the young person accessed food assistance and vocational guidance along with counseling. They were helped with securing housing and health insurance. Over time, these supports rebuilt stability, and today they have a home of their own, are employed, maintaining benefits and appointments, and confidently making plans for the future.
We Can Do More to Connect Our Community
In Newport County, we’ve begun building bridges with other providers, including co-locating primary care services provided by EBCAP in our facility one day a week. We co-locate our clinicians in 12 Newport County schools, meeting with children and their families when they need us. We meet weekly with more than 20 other agencies at the Situation Table to discuss community members who need support. But we can do even more.
We invite primary care providers, community-based organizations, schools, and policymakers to continue the conversation. How can we improve communication between agencies? Where can we formalize care coordination? Where can we align data systems responsibly? Where can we close gaps and avoid duplication?
One of the strengths of the CCBHC model is that it’s designed with accountability from the outset. Clinics report extensive quality metrics, including follow-up after hospitalization, access timelines, care coordination benchmarks, and health outcomes. We can track what’s working to ensure we are truly meeting community needs.
We all have a stake in the success of the healthcare system, especially in Newport County where transportation and access can be challenging. Healthy communities attract businesses. Stable families support local schools. Reduced emergency utilization lowers public spending. The benefits ripple outward.
And perhaps most importantly, people will feel connected to care and will no longer have to navigate their health needs alone.
Dayna Gladstein is President & CEO of Newport Mental Health in Middletown. Peace of Mind, which is co-written with Kristan McClintock, runs in the Newport Daily News and online at newportri.com.