Dr. Joanne Patterson, DNP, PMHNP-BC, CIMHP, has created Georgia’s first-ever mobile tiny home psychiatric mental health clinic, offering a new approach to accessible mental health care.
The innovative clinic, housed in a 22-foot long Dragon Tiny Home, brings mental health services directly to patients’ doorsteps, a first for the state and possibly beyond.
Dr. Patterson, owner of Dr. Joanne Psychiatry, designed the mobile clinic to serve women and their families, especially those struggling with postpartum depression and reproductive mental health challenges.
Drawing from her background as an OB nurse, she saw a gap in treatment for women facing postpartum mental health issues and set out to bridge it.
“The idea came from wanting to make sure there was accessible and comfortable mental health care for women and children in metro Atlanta,” Dr. Patterson told Atlanta News First.
The clinic’s cozy, safe environment aims to combat the stigma often associated with mental health treatment.
In response to the increased demand for mental health care during the COVID-19 pandemic, Dr. Patterson’s mobile clinic offers a solution for underserved communities, including rural areas and patients without easy access to transportation.