Anderson County Hospital’s Senior Life Solutions Program Welcomes New Therapist and Program Director
Garnett, KS – Anderson County Hospital’s Senior Life Solutions program recently hired two new staff members and is pleased to welcome Jessica Johnston, LMSW, as the new therapist, and Brianna Hiles, RN, as the new program director.
Senior Life Solutions, an intensive outpatient group therapy program, is designed to meet the unique needs of older adults struggling with depression, anxiety, difficult life transitions, a recent health diagnosis, or losing a loved one.
As a program therapist, Jessica Johnston will be responsible for providing therapeutic services for patients utilizing group, individual, and family therapy sessions. She will focus on quality patient care and the provision of services ordered by a physician. Johnston has been a licensed master’s level social worker since 2010, earning both her bachelor’s and master’s degrees from Washburn University in Topeka, KS. She has worked in the mental health field for the past 15 years, both in state and private facilities, serving as a social worker specialist and mental health therapist.
Johnston is excited to be working at Anderson County Hospital’s Senior Life Solutions and serving the community that she calls home. “It makes my heart happy to be able to help improve the emotional and mental wellness of our aging family members, friends, and neighbors,” said Johnston. “Mental health a very important aspect of overall good health and wellbeing for those in our community.”
As program director, Brianna Hiles will be responsible for directing and coordinating the activities of program staff to ensure quality patient care and will provide community education to create awareness of the program.
Hiles has been a nurse for 15 years, earning her nursing degree from Tarrant County College in Fort Worth, Texas. She has experience in many different areas of nursing including NICU, public health, and geriatrics, and has provided care for Anderson County patients at the hospital’s Family Care Center in Garnett for the past four years.
Born and raised in Garnett, Hiles is excited about her new role in the community that she cares so much about. “Mental health is a subject that I have dealt with in many different areas of my own life and throughout my career,” she said. “It is an area of nursing that I am extremely passionate about, and I can think of no better way to serve my own community. We all deserve to make good mental health a priority in our lives.”
Family members, physicians, or other health professionals can refer individuals to the program. Individuals can also self-refer. For information on Anderson County Hospital’s Senior Life Solutions program, call 785-204-8043 or visit saintlukeskc.org/senior.
About Senior Life Solutions
Founded in 2003, Senior Life Solutions is managed by Psychiatric Medical Care (PMC), a leading behavioral healthcare management company. PMC manages inpatient behavioral health units, intensive outpatient programs, and telehealth services in more than 25 states. For more information, visit www.psychmc.com/seniorlifesolutions.
About Anderson County Hospital
Anderson County Hospital is a member of Saint Luke’s Health System, which consists of 16 area hospitals and several primary and specialty care practices, and provides a range of inpatient, outpatient, and home care services. Founded as a faith-based, not-for-profit organization, our mission includes a commitment to the highest levels of excellence in health care and the advancement of medical research and education. The health system is an aligned organization in which the physicians and hospitals assume responsibility for enhancing the physical, mental, and spiritual health of people in the metropolitan Kansas City area and the surrounding region.