Joey Wahler (Host): WakeMed and Atrium Health recently announcing plans to create a strategic combination, expanding access to care, transforming mental health services, and making life-changing impacts on the individuals and communities it's served for more than 65 years.

This is WakeMed Perspectives, a limited podcast series focused on the strategic combination of WakeMed and Atrium Health.

Our guest is Sarah Crowley. She's Nursing Director of WakeMed Mental Health and Wellbeing, including WakeMed's Mental Health and Wellbeing Hospital at Wakebrook. Hi there, Sarah. Welcome.

Sarah Crowley: Hello

Host: Great to have you aboard. So first, being a nurse working in a mental health hospital, how does this new combination and the announcement of it resonate with you and yours among your nursing colleagues?

Sarah Crowley: You know, I think for me, this announcement really resonates deeply with me and with our nursing teams because we live the mental health crisis every single day here in Wake County. And one of the things we know is we know demand is growing, we know access is limited, and we know our community deserves more.

And I think what that leads into is what's so exciting about the strategic combination is that it validates something that we've believed at WakeMed for a long time, that transforming mental health care takes scale, it takes innovation and really strong partnerships. And WakeMed has already been leading in this space. We have a very intentional focus on community partnerships and elevating dignity, autonomy, patient-centered care.

So, I think this next step allows us to build on that foundation in a much bigger way. And then, I'd say for nursing, it's really energizing. Like, I think it shines a well-deserved light on the incredible work that they're already doing. And it shows a really strong commitment to building on that into the future in a real and tangible way. I think that's really important.

Host: Great. So, you mentioned a few things there that I want to follow up on. First, you mentioned the importance of access. How will this combination improve that access to mental health care and really the overall experience for patients and their families?

Sarah Crowley: That's a really important point. That's why we're doing the work that we're doing. So, you know, access is one of the biggest challenges we face in mental health care here in our region, and I think this combination has the potential to significantly expand that access in really meaningful ways.

So, we're talking about a potential for additional inpatient capacity across the system, and at the same time, a really significant expansion of behavioral health services to meet the growing need in our community. And honestly, that alone will make a real difference for families who are trying to navigate the system. That's the key thing, I think.

But just as important as access is that experience that patients do have with us, which makes me think about what WakeMed really brings to the table as something special. For our WakeMed mental health services, our model is grounded in treating every patient with dignity, autonomy; ensuring that they feel heard, respected, supported.

And so, we've created a culture in mental health care, where families are welcomed, where patients maintain connection to their lives, care is delivered in a trauma-informed way. And I think when you combine that with Atrium Health, they have scale, they have resources, and the innovation that they could bring to the table, that's a real opportunity to not only expand the access, but also elevate the entire experience of mental health care for our community.

Host: And speaking of which, you led me beautifully there at the end into my next question. So, you've discussed scale and what this will mean for that. How about how this news will help shape mental health services in the future for Wake County in terms of what's offered, et cetera?

Sarah Crowley: Yeah. That is something I've actually thought a lot about. There are several major challenges in our region right now. And I think we all know. There's limited bed capacity. We have workforce shortages and gaps in our outpatient and long-term support for our patients. And then, of course, we also see the ongoing stigma and the disparities in access for those vulnerable populations especially.

And at the same time, WakeMed has never shied away from those challenges. We have a history of stepping into them, and I think that this relationship with Atrium could allow us to go even further to step into those challenges. So, we're talking about this combination, thinking we could create the largest nonprofit behavioral health network in the states. And I think that's something that would be a major step forward in addressing that scale of need that we're talking about in our community.

And I think another piece of this that's really important to me, it's about bringing together two organizations that share a deep commitment to that community-based care and innovation and also reaching the underserved populations. You know, that's what WakeMed is really founded on. And so, I'm really happy to say that in my personal experience, I've had the opportunity to engage with some of Atrium's mental health leaders during my career. And I've been incredibly impressed with their programs, their approach. I think there's a strong alignment in how we think about care, especially around serving those who need us most. And that's where I think this partnership could make a real difference for our community. I think it opens up the door for more resources and more expertise and a more coordinated response to this mental health crisis that we know we're all facing.

Host: And when you talk about resources, WakeMed, of course, has made significant investments in mental health, including their commitment to building a 150-bed mental health and wellbeing hospital in Garner. So, how do you see this combination accelerating or enhancing that project?

Sarah Crowley: We know that WakeMed has already made a very bold commitment to mental health care. And that mental health and wellbeing hospital in Garner is the perfect example of that. So, the way it's designed, it's supposed to be transformational, not just because it's large, but it's in the way that care is to be delivered.

So, it's part of the whole health campus at Garner, which is built around this idea of whole person care, so, mind, body, and spirit, and creating an environment that promotes that healing and dignity and that connection that we want people to feel. And I feel like that's where it really clicked that this aligns perfectly with where I believe healthcare is going and with what our community needs.

So, what I'd say is I think the combination helps us accelerate that vision. I think with Atrium Health, we could scale our vision even further into expanding services, integrating models of care. We know we're building something great in Wake County. We want to make sure it continues to serve as the model for the future of mental health care. That's our goal, right? So, I'm of course excited about the additional investment and the expanded expertise, and the new opportunities for innovations that we can enhance what we're already building

Host: Absolutely. And you mentioned earlier, Sarah, that this news is energizing the nursing staff. So, what opportunities could this combination bring for those nurses and interdisciplinary care teams, both in terms of their professional growth and, of course, as well for delivering better patient care?

Sarah Crowley: So from a workforce perspective, I'd probably say for nurses and interdisciplinary teams that this combination would open the door to not only expanded professional growth and education, but also collaboration. So, we're looking at really exciting opportunities to be able to engage in research and training and innovation, in ways that further strengthen what's already available to our teams here at WakeMed and across our community. And I think that's really important.

It also strengthens our ability to recruit and retain top talent, which is super critical in mental health care right now. And so, that we can build on that strong foundation we already have at WakeMed, and then continue to invest in our teams, in our mission for the future. And that mission is really important to so many team members. That mission is a big part of what makes people want to be part of the WakeMed team.

And, you know, just as important, of course, is it's going to support our teams in continuing to deliver the high-quality care they're already well-known for. You know, when you have additional resources and stronger connections and access to things like shared best practices, it's going to help support and reinforce that work that our clinicians are doing every single day providing excellent, compassionate patient care

Host: Yeah. It's great that you have this wonderful reputation and track record to build upon going forward. Couple of other questions for you. First, in terms of something you mentioned earlier, the importance of servicing mental health patients with dignity and autonomy and fighting stigmas. How big of an issue are stigmas still for patients undergoing mental health treatment? And just how much work do you and yours do to try to make them feel comfortable? Because I would imagine making them feel comfort is half the battle, right?

Sarah Crowley: Absolutely. Stigma is a huge issue because for many, many years we didn't talk about mental health. It was just something that was swept under the rug and we didn't talk about as a society, we didn't talk about amongst our friends and family members. And it was just a silent issue that people suffered with.

So, one of the things that we can do to bring stigma out of society is to put mental health care in the spotlight and show what a great service we have to offer, show patients how they can access service. And dignity and autonomy are a huge part of that. We want people to access care again and again because we know that sometimes mental health care can be a lifetime commitment for patients, that mental health issues can last a whole lifetime.

And so if you provide an environment for people where they're able to engage in care in a way that preserves their dignity and gives them autonomy in their choices that they're making, and allows them to continue to have control over as much as possible, they're going to want to come back and seek care again. And so, that helps them to feel like they can navigate the system. They can really feel like they're welcomed somewhere. And I think that's what our teams are really good at.

Host: And then, in summary here, Sarah, as this exciting new combination moves forward, what are you most hopeful about for the future of mental health care in the community? You've done such a great job of breaking down some of the details of what this all means. What are you most excited about?

Sarah Crowley: I think it's the hope. I'm really excited that we're seeing the level of commitment and investment that the mental health crisis truly deserves and requires. We know the need is great. We know it's growing. We have a health system in WakeMed that's deeply rooted in the community and genuinely committed to doing what's right for patients and for families.

And so, I'm hopeful that work will continue to build on that legacy, continue to break down stigma, expand access, create a system where mental health care is fully integrated and really highly accessible. That's what we want, is our patients to be able to get what they need when they need it, and have world-class care.

So, I'm really excited about that. I'm really hopeful for our patients that, at the end of the day, they're going to feel like they have what they need. When they have a crisis, when there's something happening in their family or in their community, they're going to know where to turn, and going to have the resources available to them to feel supported.

Host: I'm sure those joining us are excited to hear all about what this all means. Folks, we indeed trust you're now more familiar with mental health services under the new WakeMed and Atrium Health strategic combination. Sarah, good luck with it all to you and yours. Keep up all your great work, and thanks so much again.

Sarah Crowley: Thank you.

Host: And to learn more about WakeMed, Atrium Health, and the future of healthcare in Wake County, please visit wakemed.org/wakemed-atrium-combination, or just keep tuning in for this limited podcast series. Now, if you found this episode helpful, please do share it on your social media. I'm Joey Wahler. Thanks so much again for being part of WakeMed Perspectives.