Clinic serves 350 area families

By Robert Cloud

Catalpa Health hosted a ribbon-cutting ceremony and open house Dec. 19 at its new office in Waupaca.

With offices in Appleton and Oshkosh, Catalpa provides mental health services to children, teens and their families.

Catalpa has four counselors at its Waupaca office, plus another counselor working with the Waupaca School District.

“We’d like to get a fifth person, an MD, who can prescribe medications for kids,” according to Scott Radtke, Catalpa’s director of clinic operations.

Established five years ago, Catalpa serves a total of 9,000 families throughout its system.

In the Waupaca area, there are about 350 families who rely on Catalpa’s services.

“Kids have difficulties that are getting in their way at school,” Radtke said. “We’re helping kids get back to being a kid.”

Until a month ago, those families were traveling to Appleton for their weekly visits with Catalpa counselors.

Radtke said Catalpa moved to Waupaca because it found a great need for mental health services in the community.

He noted the weekly trips to Appleton meant added expense and time for Catalpa’s Waupaca families.

“We want to focus on bringing our services to where they are needed,” Radtke said.

Catalpa works with children between the ages of 2 and 18.

Children are usually referred to Catalpa by school counselors, physicians and county social workers.

Families may also contact Catalpa directly by calling 920-750-7000.

“We will identify where they are from and schedule them to meet someone in this clinic if they’re from Waupaca,” Radtke said.

Catalpa Health shares its office space with Big Brothers Big Sisters and the Fox Valley chapter of the National Alliance on Mental Illness.