LEWISTOWN - When Lewistown Hospital discontinued its out-patient behavioral health services, Dr. Nitin Sheth and Debbie Goldberg considered moving their practices back to their homes in State College.
But leaving would have meant creating a hole in behavioral health services in Mifflin County, Sheth said.
Instead, Sheth and Goldberg decided to begin their own counseling service in Lewistown called Solutionz, which opened in April.
Article Photos
Sentinel photo by MICAIAH WISE BILGER
Debbie Goldberg and Dr. Nitin Sheth pose in the lobby of Solutionz LLC, a new counseling service located in the LeMed Building in Lewistown.
"Why not stay here rather than make patients go to State College?" Sheth said.
The partners' appointment books already are filling up, but Sheth said some people still do not know that their services are available.
Sheth is a licensed psychiatrist and child psychiatrist, whose patients range in age from 2 to close to 100.
Fact Box
IF YOU GO
What: Solutionz
When: 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday
Where: 27 Sandy Lane, LeMed Suite 190, Lewistown
Sheth performs psychiatric evaluations and diagnoses. He prescribes forms of medical treatments and therapy, if necessary, and oversees ongoing medicinal management. His various areas of expertise also include providing therapy after surgery or other major medical procedures.
Therapist Lori Rocco works with all age groups, but she said her expertise is with adolescents. Her patients include those with behavioral disorders like ADD, ADHD and autism.
She and Goldberg also offer individual, couples and family counseling. They hope to expand to offer group therapy in the near future, Goldberg said.
They treat anxiety, depression and ADHD.
"We run the gamut," Goldberg said. "We see the whole spectrum of mental health programs."
The staff also will refer people to other agencies, help them find home nursing care and communicate with other resources to help people get what they need, Goldberg said.
Everything is strictly confidential, she emphasized.
Their goal for Solutionz is to "rehabilitate patients emotionally to make them better functioning individuals for a better quality of life," Goldberg said.
The partners already are considering expansions to their practice that would to provide additional services to populations not currently being served, Sheth said.
Soultionz has a good working relationship with Lewistown Hospital, and receives many referrals from the Center for Behavioral Health, which still provides in-patient services.
Lewistown Hospital has been very supportive of us starting the clinic, Sheth added.
Solutionz is located in the spacious Suite 190 of the LeMed Building, Lewistown. The office is open from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday to Friday. For an appointment, call 953-9571.
Patients must have medical insurance to receive services at Solutionz.
Sheth, originally from Bombei, India, studied through a fellowship at the Mount Sinai University in New York before beginning his medical career in Wilkes-Barre. He worked at Lewistown Hospital for 6 1/2 years, serving as the chair of the in- and out-patient Center for Behavioral Health.
Both Goldberg and Rocco graduated from Penn State University as licensed professional counselors.
Rocco worked in the Wrap Around program, visiting homes of area school children. She also worked at the hospital. Now, she serves as an independent contractor with Solutionz.
Goldberg has been practicing in Mifflin and Centre counties for 13 years, including as the director of outpatient services at the hospital's Center for Behavioral Health.
