Community resource

North Mason residents have a new resource for mental health needs. Psychiatric ARNP Kristi Eilers, working through North Mason Regional Fire Authority, offers personalized health plans that address anxiety, depression, addiction and other challenges, and can make home visits.

Eilers and NMRFA began offering the services in October under the Mobile Integrated Health Program the fire department already operates.

It was started to prevent people from having to go to the emergency room and is run by Physician Associate Adam Boyd and Emergency Prevention Specialist Abe Gardner. They focus on the physical side of health.

"With them going out in the community, they saw a big need for the mental health side of things," Eilers said.

Boyd and Gardner, along with Fire Chief Beau Bakken "did a lot of work" to bring Eilers on board, she said.

Bakken told the Journal he originally floated the idea at a presentation for the Mason County Sheriff's Office. He told the group about "metal health needs that were not being met," he said. Eilers' husband was in the audience and thought she would be a perfect fit.

Eilers previously worked at a community health center in Lewis County helping people with serious, persistent mental illnesses. She's also worked with jail inmates.

She was an easy choice for the program, but funding her position was harder.

Bakken said he and his staff met with Mason County Public Health, the Sheriff's Office and the county and "talked throughout the summer."

He said the county was very supportive but couldn't fund a new program.

"We did a quick pivot," Bakken said.

The program received some private money from Virginia Mason Franciscan Health and the rest comes from

county sales tax earmarked for mental health and chemical dependency.

While it's aimed at North Mason residents, the program won't deny any county member services.

"Wherever there's a need," Bakken said.

Eilers said she likes the openness of the new services offered by NMRFA.

"I love the teams I was on for the home visitations and prevention of psychosis and going to the hospital and incarceration, but they had to meet certain criteria and they had to have been enrolled in a specific agency, like a mental health agency."

Now when community members call her, she can just focus on providing help. No insurance or other criteria is required.

She works at the fire station 18 hours a week and gets referrals several ways. Sometimes fire crews will be on a call and see the need for mental health services.

"They say they are concerned about the person and let them know that Kristi will be contacting them," she said. "They'll be on the scene and tell them we've got this program going, we've got this person Kristi, is it OK if she gives you a call?"

School officials have also contacted her about offering help to students.

"I think one thing that's nice about our program is we don't really have a lot of exclusion criteria. If you're part of the North Mason community and you need help, we'll see what we can do for you," Eilers said.

A lot of people just don't know how to access services, so she also helps them with long-term solutions.

"I'm able to go to their house and figure out what's happening."

Eilers said she often finds that people are just lonely and isolated.

"It's not that they need medication, it's that they need to get plugged in to some form of socialization."

Belfair Clubhouse and The HUB for seniors are great resources, she said.

Eilers and Bakken said they hope the new program can eventually expand to more of the county.

"I'm really grateful for this opportunity. From the chief's vision and passion to serve the community, to working with Adam and Abe, I'm just really grateful for this position," Eilers said.

Community members can call 360-275-6711, ext 0, to schedule an appointment with Eilers.