This month, we’re excited to highlight Allison Dowty, a Behavioral Health Consultant and Licensed Clinical Social Worker at the Family Health Clinic.

Read our interview with Allison to learn about her, her time at the Family Health Clinic, and more. 

Allison Dowty’s Education and Work Experience:

• She graduated from Indiana University with a BA in Psychology and Criminal Justice in 2005.
• After graduation, she worked at a group home for teens involved in the juvenile justice system.
• She continued in this position while pursuing her Masters of Social Work degree, which she obtained in 2013.
• After earning her Masters, she worked for a community mental health center as a school-based therapist at a preschool and kindergarten in the Indianapolis area, providing counseling, skills training, and case management for children ages 3-6. She provided school-based therapy for around three years before coming to the Family Health Clinic to pursue her passion of integrated care.
• She has been with the Family Health Clinic for the last 5 years.

A Conversation with Allison Dowty

As a Behavioral Health Specialist and a Licensed Clinical Social Worker, what are your duties at the Family Health Clinic?

My primary duties at the clinics include: providing counseling to individuals and families, assessing patients’ behavioral health needs, collaborating with Nurse Practitioners to try to ensure the best physical and mental health outcomes for our patients, and consulting with patients in distress to help identify the best course of action to address their needs.

As the head of the behavioral health department, I work with my team to develop programming to help meet the behavioral healthcare needs of clinic patients.

We are excited to be expanding our services to include group therapy options in the near future, in addition to the individual and family therapy we currently provide. Our behavioral health team will also be working toward increased integrated care. This means we will be conducting more screenings and consultations with clinic patients to help address any concerns they may be experiencing related to their mental health.  

What drew you to the Family Health Clinic originally? And how has the Family Health Clinic changed since?

I have often said, “If I could design my dream job, it would be this one” when people ask me why I came to work at the clinic.

During my graduate school experience, I found myself drawn to the interplay of physical and mental health and wanting to advocate for patients to have increased access to quality care to help achieve improved health outcomes. Working at the clinic has given me the opportunity to be a part of a team that truly cares about the well-being of its patients and looks at health in a holistic way.  

In the five years since I have been at the clinic, the behavioral health department has doubled. When I started, I was only the second full-time therapist. Since then we added additional full-time therapist positions, an intern position, and continue to expand our staffing. We began offering medication-assisted treatment (MAT), telehealth counseling, and have also expanded into school-based services at two local elementary schools.

Growing the department has been meaningful to me because it means we will be able to help more patients meet their behavioral health goals and improve their overall health and quality of life.   

What is your favorite part about working for the Family Health Clinic?

It’s hard to choose a favorite part but I would have to say the people—both the patients and my coworkers.  Every day I am surrounded by coworkers who truly care about the patients they serve and who make a job that can be stressful at times that much more enjoyable. I am often awed by the patients I meet and counsel on a daily basis, who inspire me with their resilience. Working at the clinic these past five years has been an honor and a privilege!  

Why do you think having health services like the ones the Family Health Clinic provides is important in the local community? 

Having access to behavioral health services in rural communities is vital. Therapy offered at the Family Health Clinic has helped patients improve their quality of life and has literally saved lives in some cases.

Having these services available locally by trusted providers increases the likelihood people will seek help when needed and decreases the stigma that many feel when they need to access mental health resources.  

Thank you, Allison, for being a part of the Family Health Clinic!

If you would like to make an appointment to see one of our behavioral health counselors like Allison, simply call (800) 321-5043.