Guilford County Government has named Debra Mack, MSN, RN-BC, as its Director of the recently formed Behavioral Health Center. Mack established her skills as a leader in the Behavioral Health arena during her time with Cone Health and Monarch Crisis in Greensboro. Most recently, she has served as the Director of the Cone Health Behavioral Health Hospital. As such, she led the child and adolescent unit, therapeutic triage services and the observation unit.
Mack earned her bachelor’s degree in nursing from North Carolina A & T State University and her master’s in nursing education from the University of Phoenix.
As Director of Behavioral Health for Guilford County, Mack will oversee the county’s behavioral health partnership with Cone Health providing care to patients in the newly built Behavioral Health Urgent Care (BHUC) Center located at 931 Third St., Greensboro. The new facility, which opened June 2021, specifically addresses the needs of children, adolescents and adults experiencing crises due to mental illnesses, substance use disorders, or intellectual/developmental disabilities. The BHUC is open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. It combines integrated, or whole-person, behavioral and physical healthcare services that are provided by Cone Health.
The Guilford County BHUC is in the same building as a 16-bed adult Facility-Based Crisis (FBC) center. Pharmacy, outpatient and peer counseling services also are available in the same location.
In addition to the services offered by Guilford County Government and Cone Health, Sandhills Center has developed a 16-bed child and adolescent FBC center nearby at 925 Third St. Greensboro. Alexander Youth Network is contracted by Sandhills Center to provide services there.
“Over the years I have seen Guilford County’s dedication to behavioral health and the health care leadership Cone Health has provided to our community. It was a natural decision for me to choose to become a part of the leadership efforts that the outstanding partnership between Guilford County Government, Cone Health, Sandhills Center and Alexander Youth Network can offer people in need through the region,” said Mack. “I am looking forward to continuing to work with this incredible Behavioral Health collaboration to help not only care for our patients, but to also achieve the goal of serving as a connector of services within our community. It is important that we work together to close the gaps in the mental healthcare continuum.”
“Debra has been part of the Behavioral Health landscape for many years in this county,” said Michael Halford, Guilford County Manager. “In every role she has played, Debra has demonstrated compassion for both her patients and team members. I am confident she will use her skill set to focus on the holistic wellbeing of our residents as she moves into the director role here with Guilford County. She is a rare find and we are extremely fortunate to have her.”
To learn more about Guilford County Behavioral Health Urgent Care (BHUC) Center services available, please visit www.guilfordcountync.gov or call (336) 890-2700.
