Telemental health is a rapidly growing area of health care. People in diverse settings are turning to it to help ease the burdens of the resource-strained, underserved communities. Physicians have been using telehealth for years and now mental health professionals are finding it helpful, too. It is vital in rural communities due to the lack of mental health providers.

This type of service involves using live, interactive video conferencing, of which all procedures are delivered “face-to-face” over a computer. Some key advantages are increased access to rural or disadvantaged people, decreased time off from work and the electronic equipment is client friendly. Alternatives to any loss of computer communication will be readily available.

The Mesquite Cancer HELP Society “MCHS” has paired with Judith Willey, MFT to provide telemental health services locally. MCHS realizes that counseling for its clients is crucial to their continued progress and fight against cancer. Additionally, these counseling services will be available to their caregivers. Support group meetings typically take place every month, however, some clients require one-on-one counseling.

Willey moved to Mesquite in 2007 where she opened a private practice and provided her services to the MCHS, Mesa View Regional Hospital and the Mesquite local court. The practice closed in 2013 when her husband retired and they returned to their home state of Montana. She is licensed in Nevada as a Marriage and Family Therapist. Concurrently, she is licensed in Montana as a Clinical Professional Counselor. She was first licensed in 1996 in California where she owned a counseling center and sublet to10 other counselors; she is presently listed as an inactive Marriage and Family Therapist.

In 2007, during her residency in Mesquite Willey opened and operated a private practice. She was on numerous insurance panels, on employee assistance panels for the City of Mesquite, Mesa View Hospital, USPS and the Eureka Casino, and was a referral source for the Mesquite local court. She has additional certification as a Critical Incident Debriefing Counselor (trauma) and as a Grief Counselor.

“We feel honored to have Mrs. Willey’s services available, again, to Mesquite Cancer HELP Society and are excited about its official startup in July,” says Yoli Bell. For additional information/questions please contact Bell at 702-553-6523 or call the office, 702-346-0622, TUES-THURS, 10 a.m.-3 p.m.

NOTE: (Cancer patients who are not clients of MCHS can still use/request this service.)