When you think of a non-emergency medical transportation (NEMT) business, you envision a certain type of service. You might not think—at least at first—of transporting people to get mental health services, but Joaquin Torres wants you to. The owner and president of TLC Mobile Health in Hackensack, New Jersey, Torres has about 14 years in the business and has done and seen a lot. But the mental health aspect of his business—helping people who need services, including treatment for substance abuse, get to their appointments—seems, to him, to be more urgent than ever. It’s contributing to the growth of his company, sure, but the reason he bought the company and changed its name has a lot more to do with helping people than just making a living.
Maybe it could contribute to the growth of your company, too. Read on.
“We started with seven vehicles,” he says. “We have 20 now and still growing. Just word of mouth and from our other contracts. Because not only do we do (the usual NEMT), we do mental health, adults’ and children’s drug abuse programs.” What has changed? “In the old days, when a kid got caught smoking in the bathroom, he’d get suspended and that would be the end of it. Now, here in Jersey, they’re giving these kids drug programs. So you’re not getting suspended anymore, but every day after school for one or two months, you’re going to this drug program. Or a behavior program, which we got into.”
“We’re Not Doctors, But . . .”
Has Joaquin seen the numbers increase for mental health programs, especially after 2020 and COVID? “I’ve definitely seen more need for it,” he says. “Some clients get edgy and nervous when they don’t go to their program, which causes them to relapse. Once they go to the programs and get their treatment, they’re good.
“I have this one client who I hadn’t spoken to in a while. He stopped going, but when I spoke to him this morning, he was just so happy to know it was us picking him up and taking him to his program. He said, ‘I’m so happy it’s you guys now.’ He felt so sure he was going to make it to his program.
“Mental health is one of those programs that’s been quiet for a while,” he continues, “but we don't realize how many people really need help. I feel good knowing what I can do to help people get that recovery and stay calm, especially with everything that’s going on.
“My little motto is, we’re not doctors, we’re not psychiatrists, but we are the first step to recovery,” Joaquin says. “When I first started, I didn’t know how many people really use this type of service and how valuable it is to those who can’t get back and forth to their programs."
How Important is NEMT to Mental Health Services? Very.
The National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) has an entire section dedicated to NEMT. From its website:
All state Medicaid programs must cover NEMT, which helps people get transportation to necessary medical care, including mental health care. People enrolled in Medicaid are significantly more likely to receive care through recommended medical appointments when using NEMT, and the majority of individuals on Medicaid agree that they would not be able to keep medical appointments without it. NEMT is particularly important for people with mental illness, since behavioral health services are the most frequently cited reason for using NEMT.
For many, having reliable, affordable transportation to and from medical appointments can be a major hurdle to accessing mental health care. Each year, millions of people miss medical appointments due to unavailable or unaffordable transportation. This limits opportunities for individuals to manage their mental health needs, often resulting in the need for more costly health care services and leading to worse health outcomes.
Sounds like Joaquin is right on the money.
Success Means Doing Other Things Well, Too
Sure, he’s made significant inroads into mental health transportation, but Joaquin emphasizes the other important things you need to do to be a successful NEMT business. “The human touch,” he says. “Being there to pick up the phone calls, starting with dispatching. Everything starts with dispatching. I feel that the way you intake the call reflects on you as a human, the caring part of the business.”
Why does he care? “Because I think about the people who are in need of this service. Obviously, they don’t want to have this service. It’s not like jumping on a plane, going on vacation. It’s going to dialysis, or some health-related issue. One of the reasons I named the company TLC is to stand for tender loving care.”
And don’t forget the drivers: “I interview all of them myself, just to get the feel of them and ask questions on how they feel about certain situations. How do they feel about mental health? How do they feel about people going to dialysis and what would they do? I tell them that obviously this is not a high-paying job, but what you give to these people, that care is worth so much more.”
A Great Story
“I had this one patient who wanted to refuse radiation. He was in a wheelchair and very bad. And I went to him every day and amped him up: ‘Let’s go radiation! You’re going to do this, you’re going to do this, you’re going to do this!’ I said to him, ‘One day, I’m going to see you running.’ Little by little, I started seeing progression. One day, I don’t have to carry him to put him in a wheelchair. Now he’s walking to the wheelchair. Now he’s walking with a walker. And then one day I went to his room and he’s not there anymore. Months later I see him in the cancer center and he’s walking.
“And the hug that this guy gave me was worth more than a million dollars. And he stated, ‘If it wasn't for you, I wouldn’t be here right now.’ There are so many stories like that. But that one sticks out the most. Just seeing the progression of people. And knowing that you’re part of that progression is just worth so much more.”
After reading this, you’ve probably just helped everybody’s mental health, Joaquin.
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