New psychological services offered at UF Fanning Springs clinic

A new University of Florida department of clinical and health psychology service at the UF Clinic at Fanning Springs will address the need for psychological and behavioral health services in rural areas.

People in rural areas are more at risk for psychological and behavioral health issues, such as obesity, heart disease and suicide, said Heidi Liss, Ph.D., a psychologist with the National Rural Behavioral Health Center at UF’s College of Public Health and Health Professions. These issues are confounded by a shortage of health-care professionals in rural settings.

“Another barrier to obtaining mental health services is that anonymity is hard to maintain in rural areas and small towns,” said Liss, also an assistant scientist in the department of family, youth and community sciences. “It is important to integrate psychological care with other primary care services to avoid that stigma.”

Liss and UF graduate student Melanie Fernandez offer primary care psychology services including individual and family therapy, as well as counseling related to life issues such as weight loss, stress management and smoking cessation. Parent training and assessments of psychological issues like Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder and depression also are available.

The clinic is supported in part with funds from the Suwannee River Health Education Center and a Graduate Psychology Education Program grant.

The UF Clinic at Fanning Springs is located at 7284 S.W. State Road 26, Trenton. The psychological services are available on Thursdays. To schedule an appointment call 352-463-7980.