Silver State Health Services’ mission is to provide cost-effective care and expand affordable access to high-quality health care for Las Vegas’ underserved and impoverished populations. Its executive director, Ryan Linden, talks about its upcoming expansion, its work to help victims of October 1 and the changing landscape of health care as a result of technology.
Tell us your background.
After graduating with a degree in political science/business, I began working in the health care field, doing operations in private medical facilities. In 2016, I wrote a grant to open a nonprofit Federally Qualified Health Center in the Las Vegas area and was awarded the funds to begin operations in 2017. I’ve been leading the organization ever since, focusing on reaching out to vulnerable populations that have difficulty accessing the health care sphere.
Do you have any news you’d like to share?
Silver State Health was just awarded two additional grants that will help to expand affordable health care services in Southern Nevada. The first is a grant to open a new center location in Pahrump, which we are all very excited about. The second is from the United Way Foundation, which granted us funds to specifically provide mental health services to the Spanish-speaking population experiencing trauma from the October 1 tragedy.
What are your primary duties as executive director?
My primary duties include direct oversight of my executive team, creating and maintaining a company culture, eliciting the various passions of my employees, dreaming about the future and learning from the past.
What resources do you offer?
We offer comprehensive primary care, psychiatric and behavioral health solutions to patients in need of service. With a robust case management department, we’re able to assist in locating or providing transportation, housing, medical referrals, vocational training and a food pantry.
How many health care providers are on your team and what specialties do they possess?
We have 22 health providers on staff. Most of these are clinical social workers providing individual psychotherapy, while our medical staff includes a psychiatrist, psychiatric nurse practitioners, physicians and family nurse practitioners.
Approximately how many patients have Silver State Health clinics treated and are there plans for expansion?
Silver State Health has treated over 3,000 unique patients and is excited to add sites at 2965 S. Jones Blvd. and in Pahrump in early 2020.
Who are your community and/or nonprofit partners?
Three Square, the United Way, the CARE Complex, the Harbor, Boy’s Town, the Resiliency Center, HOPE Counseling, Nevada CARES Autism Project, Serenity Mental Health and Never Give Up Counseling.
How has treatment evolved in the past 10 years and what innovative treatments are available to patients?
Treatment in health care has changed dramatically over the years. With the mandate that providers utilize electronic health records, we have seen a significant rise in the technological applications linked to treating patients. The prevalence of telemedicine has increased significantly for patients located in areas where a physical provider is difficult to secure. Because Nevada is unique in the number of citizens in rural and frontier environments, these services are helping to change the landscape of service delivery.
What’s the biggest issue facing Southern Nevada?
With the continual growth that Southern Nevada has experienced over the past decade, the biggest issue we face is having an adequate supply of affordable housing.
What strategic actions are taking place on the local and national level to help curb homelessness and/or those suffering from mental illness?
HUD’s Continuum of Care board controls the initiatives and funds used to combat the homelessness issue we face across the country. Through this outlet, new programs are being instituted to house homeless people and through both short-term and long-term housing placements.
It’s been more than two years since the October 1 mass shooting on the Strip. Are your providers still feeing the impact and are they treating those who suffer from post-traumatic stress syndrome?
Unfortunately, as we’re all aware, mental health disorders like PTSD can often take many years to help lessen the effects people experience from it. We’re excited at the opportunity to further serve the people affected from the mass shooting through our recent grant acquisition through the United Way, which will allow us to treat these victims at no cost to the patient. Our providers are treating those affected on a daily basis.
Where do you see your organization in five years?
It has always been our shared vision to create health centers that are for the people and by the people. To that end, providing services that are culturally informed is one of our biggest goals. Silver State Health wishes to create an environment for treatment that is as comfortable and individualized as possible, as health outcomes tend to increase when patients feel that their providers are part of the same community.
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Silver State Health Services information
• Locations:
Paradise Behavioral: 2255 Renaissance Drive, Suite A, Las Vegas
Hours of operation: 9 a.m.-7 p.m. Monday through Friday; 8 a.m.-3 p.m. Saturday
Paradise Primary: 2215 Renaissance Drive, Suite C, Las Vegas
Hours of operation: 8 a.m.-5 p.m. Monday through Friday
Spring Valley: 2965 S. Jones St., Suite E2, Las Vegas
Hours of operation: 8 a.m.-5 p.m. Monday through Friday
• Phone: 702-471-0420
• Email: [email protected]
• Website: silverstatehealth.org
• Operated by: Ryan Linden, executive director
• In business since: 2017