Outside of a tidy brick building in Omaha’s Highlander neighborhood, there’s a sign with a familiar logo. It’s the shield that represents Nebraska Medicine and UNMC. But this is no medical office.
When Thomas Contreras enters on a Thursday morning, he knows he won’t be seeing a doctor or nurse. But he knows he will find help.
Each Thursday, the Nebraska Medicine and UNMC Community Wellness Collaborative opens its doors for anyone who needs assistance with behavioral health and substance use treatment options or who needs help connecting to community resources.
“Just seeing people makes you feel better,” Contreras said. “Especially the smile on people’s faces. That’s a lot to get your day started and mind going and feeling positive about things.”
Celeste Akers, Nebraska Medicine lead community services technician, helped connect Contreras with a psychiatrist and community support program, along with finding him transportation to his doctor’s appointments. She’s also helping to make sure his housing voucher is up to date.
“Today is paperwork and making some calls,” Akers said. “No one has a fax machine at their house, right? Sometimes people just need to do their functional paperwork to keep their benefits and keep their housing vouchers and to fill out applications for things like rental assistance.”
The services offered each Thursday are funded through the Behavioral Health Connection, a free, grant-funded program that offers resources to anyone in need in Omaha. When the Community Wellness Collaborative opened in September 2023, the behavioral health team knew it would be a good touchpoint for the community.
“Many people living in this area don’t have reliable access to the technology that is often required nowadays to look things up or do paperwork and applications on their own,” Akers said. “Also, we want to regularly offer community education about mental health care topics to normalize that as part of overall well-being.”
Contreras appreciates having someone right there in his community to help with tasks that can be stressful.
“I feel better,” he said. “I don’t want to be lost and wondering what’s next. I know they are here to help me and not give me the wrong directions.”
Behavioral health assistance is available at the Community Wellness Collaborative every Thursday, along with a monthly mental health resources presentation.
Akers is available at the Community Wellness Collaborative from 8:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. on Thursdays. Those who need help can schedule an appointment with her by emailing her at this link. Walk-ins also are welcome. In addition to the help offered on Thursdays, the CWC hosts a mental health resources presentation on the third Monday of each month from 2 to 3 p.m. More information is available at the Community Wellness Collaborative website.
Akers has made connections with several people who routinely drop by for help. And she’s ready to help even more.
“It is really rewarding to know that someone came to me for the help that they needed and kept reaching out for help along the way because they saw me as someone who is caring and approachable and capable of helping them make a positive difference in their lives,” Akers said. “It’s often not easy for people to admit they or a loved one need help or to ask for that help, but we want them to know we’re receptive to them calling or stopping in because that’s what we’re here for.”