“We started this just as a beta test, 1 to 3 (p.m.), see what that (looks like),” Daniel said.

At that time, Calzada added, patients were served on a walk-in basis.

“But then, the need was getting so much that now we’ve gone from 9 (a.m.) to 3 (p.m.),” Daniel added. “I think we kind of knew the demand was there, but it’s just getting the word out (to) the community and the people that were seeking it.”

Initially, the marketing and promotional efforts around it were minimal, but due to the positive reception and the expanded hours, the CA team has turned it up a notch and urged patients to call ahead of time before arriving. Even if a clinician doesn’t have an immediately available opening for a patient on the day they’re requesting, they’ll often scan for cancellations to try and fill the slot.

“That way, they’re not sitting here and waiting for the next opening for the next several hours in line,” Calzada said.

As for the struggles and situations they’re providing assistance with, the most common are panic attacks, irritability, suicidal ideations, domestic violence and substance abuse cases.

“What I have seen more of is panic attacks. People are just anxious, or court is coming up and they get anxiety. And I’ve treated, in the last few weeks, a lot of suicidal or potential (suicidal), but we work it down, we find the safety plan. We get them safety,” Daniel said. “Our data has shown a lot of parents coming in just wanting some ideas for kids who are behavioral, but again, it’s not an emergency compared to some of the others.”

CA is also working closely with local police — especially MPACT — and social services nonprofits like YSS, CAPS and Prairie Ridge South (formerly SATUCI), and they refer patients to each others’ services as well as local family medicine doctors. Daniel has been exceedingly appreciative of the community buy-in so far, echoing the recurring theme of “Marshalltown Strong.”

“I was just telling Nick earlier (that) urgent care is almost like a quick lifeline for somebody, you know, just for today. They still might have stressors tomorrow, but just for today ‘OK, am I thinking clearly? Am I gonna make some healthy choices? What can I do?’ That has been really helpful, and for us to be able to jump in and just give them some guidance is phenomenal,” he said.

And because the patients are coming of their own accord on a voluntary basis, Calzada added, they want to be helped, so they’re generally receptive to what clinicians have to say to them. Often, it results in setting up appointments with a therapist on a regular basis while still offering a temporary triage and providing healthy coping skills in crisis situations.

“That patient walks out of here feeling they’ve been heard and ‘I have a solution. I have a plan,'” Daniel said.

In a year and a half, the urgent care clinic has seen 531 separate patients, 334 of whom were new to CA and 294 of whom were retained for regular therapy appointments. And while they’ll never know the number of lives they’ve been able to save through the service, Calzada is confident the figure is higher than zero — and Daniel can count at least five suicidal patients who are still returning for service.

“I don’t know the answer to that. We don’t know the answer to that, but we have saved lives. Other organizations save lives here — police, firefighters, ER, hospital, but so does urgent care,” Calzada said. “Even if one life is saved, that’s priceless.”

Going forward, they hope to bring in more seasoned clinicians and expand urgent care further — currently, there are five who participate regularly — and they will aim to provide holistic solutions as opposed to simply filling a prescription for medication, especially in situations where addiction may be present.

“Our overall goal is just to help people who suffer from mental health issues to just transform into the best mental wellness as we possibly can,” Calzada said.