Despite working out of the area for many years, Carbon County native Sabrina Carter always knew that she was going to return home to serve the community in which she was raised.
Carter was born in Levan, Utah before moving to East Carbon when she was 10. She is a proud graduate of East Carbon High School and earned her graduate degree at the University of Missouri Kansas City.
“I chose nursing because it would provide the type of lifestyle that was consistent with the lifestyle I wanted at that time,” Carter explained. “I chose it for the convenience and it ended up being a good fit for my personality.”
As a board certified family nurse practitioner, Carter has worked for years in settings that allowed her to focus on her passion for mental health. Nearly three years of her career was dedicated to a free clinic in Missouri that provided mental health and primary care to homeless individuals. That was followed by more than two years at Valley Mental Health in Salt Lake City where she was assigned to a homeless unit as well as a schizophrenia clinic.
“I got a lot of experience,” Carter said. “It then became evident that I needed to move home.”
This drive to return to Carbon County was fueled not only by her family that lives in the area, but also her desire to provide what seems to be lacking in the community.
“I realized there was no one in the surrounding area focused on the mental health of patients with traditional insurance except primary care providers.”
What does her vision look like? Essentially, it has one focus: mental health. Stemming from this is mental health medication management and working with local therapist and primary care providers to deliver comprehensive care. In the future, Carter intends to apply for grant funding specific to mental health and substance abuse. Patients can also pay out of pocket.
“You shouldn’t have to drive over the mountain for medication management or mental health services,” Carter said. “The relationship you have with your mental health provider is very deep and personal. I want to be here to provide that stability and care.”
While Carter will focus on mental health and medication management, her work will be closely tied to that of each patient’s primary care physician. This helps Carter more accurately address mental health concerns as she receives a wider view of each patient’s medical history.
“I never want a patient to feel rushed,” Carter said. “For a patient’s first appointment, I usually need to spend an hour with them to get an in-depth look at their history. This helps me to more accurately serve them with the complexity of mental health concerns.”
This close relationship with the patient adds to the unique aspects Carter is aiming to bring to the area. She remains hopeful that she can not only fill a local need with her practice, but also reconnect with the community in which she was raised.
“I love this place,” Carter said. “I love the hard work that comes from this area. People that are from here are invested in this area and I have that same drive. I am excited to return home and serve those living in the community I love.”
Carter’s practice is scheduled to open on Sept. 15, the first day she will begin seeing patients. Appointments are currently being accepted as Carter approaches the opening of her practice, though. To schedule an appointment or for more information, please call (435) 299-5003 or visit https://sabrinakcarter.wixsite.com/positivepathways .