GCMC clinic to gain mental health nurse

Greene County Medical Center will fulfill a major need on Jan. 6 when Heather Wilson rejoins the facility as a board-certified psychiatric mental health nurse practitioner.

Wilson’s hire will allow the Greene County Family Medicine Clinic to begin offering behavioral health services.

Greene County is sorely lacking in mental health providers, with just one for every 1,500 residents, according to recent data from the University of Wisconsin Population Health Institute.

The Iowa average is one for every 700 residents, and one for every 310 residents in the U.S. counties considered the healthiest.

A local resident, Wilson previously worked in the Women’s Health Clinic at the Greene County Medical Center before leaving to get her master’s degree.

Wilson is now trained to provide a range of behavioral health services to children, adolescents, adults and geriatrics with depression, anxiety, bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, personality disorder, substance abuse, autism spectrum, ADHD and other mental health disorders.

“I look forward to building relationships with patients and providing a new service to Greene County,” she said in a statement.

During her 22 years of nursing experience, Wilson has worked in six different hospitals and in a variety of departments: OB, specialty clinics, inpatient mental health, ER and as a house supervisor.

She received her RN degree from Mercy College of Health Sciences, bachelor’s degree from Chamberlain University and master’s degree from Maryville University.

Wilson resides in Greene County with her significant other and five children.