Northern Nevada HOPES has opened a Behavioral Health Clinic in Reno, offering a new walk-in model designed to make mental health care more accessible for individuals who may otherwise face barriers to treatment.
Located at 1905 E. 4th St., next to the CARES Campus, the new clinic includes an Access Clinic, a walk-in space where individuals can receive immediate behavioral health screenings without needing a referral from a primary care provider.
“This changes the way things were run in the past,” said Kyle Sunderland, LCSW, Director of Behavioral Health at Northern Nevada HOPES. “Usually, you have to go through primary care. By doing this, we are creating a low-barrier access point for people to receive services.”
Sunderland explained that the clinic allows anyone seeking help to walk in, be screened by a behavioral health specialist, and get connected with appropriate services, either through a same-day walk-in appointment or by scheduling a future visit.
“You can come in off the streets, get an appointment or a walk-in appointment if available, and be established as a patient. We will then be able to get them help to heal, and then get them into primary care. It’s an ebb and flow,” he said.
While the clinic can assist individuals experiencing emotional distress, Sunderland emphasized that it is not a crisis facility. “We are not a crisis clinic. We can handle distressed emotions, but we would have to refer to the hospital or whatever agency someone needed in a crisis situation.”
The clinic offers a range of services, including brief and ongoing psychotherapy, play therapy for children, intensive outpatient therapy, group therapy, medication-assisted treatment for substance use, and psychiatric care.
Screenings through the Access Clinic help guide patients to the most appropriate therapy or program.
To help expand the availability of psychiatric care, HOPES has also launched a new residency program in partnership with the University of Nevada, Reno, School of Medicine. The initiative embeds psychiatry residents in the clinic to provide integrated care and support the development of future mental health professionals.
Sunderland said that the clinic accepts Medicaid and other insurance plans, and offers a sliding fee scale for those who are underinsured or uninsured. “They can walk in, get a behavioral packet. We accept Medicaid, other insurances, and for those underinsured or with no insurance, we have a sliding fee schedule,” he said.
He also addressed the stigma some people may feel around seeking mental health care. “I say give it a shot, really. It is just you healing or learning from things that have caused you stress before. I don’t see growth as a weak thing. I see it as a positive thing.”
When asked why offering services in this way matters, Sunderland explained, “The whole idea in providing therapy is making yourself the best person you can be and learning from yourself too. So I think with this, it will just allow like a holistic care approach to healing as well.”
Sunderland described the new Access Clinic as a model unlike anything else currently available in the area. “I don’t know of any access points like this clinic. We are optimizing the programs we have with all the programs that are available. It is like no other.”
HOPES is hosting a fundraising event, Harmonies for HOPES, on Saturday, August 16 from 4–6:30 p.m. at the Note-ables Auditorium. All proceeds benefit the clinic’s behavioral health services. Tickets are available at give.nnhopes.org/rjo25.
The Access Clinic is not a crisis center. For emergencies, individuals should call 911 or go to the nearest emergency room. For 24/7 mental health support, contact Crisis Support Services by calling or texting 988.
For more information or to become a patient, visit nnhopes.org or call 775-786-4673.
