Counseling Services return at Three Rivers Medical Clinic

Counseling services are once again available at the Three Rivers Medical Clinic.

Jen Kamps was recently hired as a Counselor for the Behavioral Health Program at the clinic located at 16 Railway Avenue in Three Forks.

The Three Rivers Medical Clinic is currently offering acute and crisis care through its Behavioral Health Program and longer-term care for mental health issues.

Counseling appointments are available Monday through Thursday.

After Cindy Bates, FNP, took over ownership of the Three Rivers Medical Clinic in 2019, Practice Manager Malori Anderson said they were almost immediately hit with the Covid-19 pandemic and really started to see the impact isolation can have on their patient's mental health.

"Our rural community is severely limited on mental health resources and thus started our brainstorm on how to provide services for our community. The clinic's Behavioral Health program had to take a pause in 2022 due to the shortage of mental health providers. We are excited to be able to offer this option for our local community again," Anderson said.

With the addition to the clinic, Anderson said they can offer a more integrative approach to healthcare that includes the patient's mental and physical health.

"Our patients are able to walk in and see the same faces greet them whether they have a sore throat or are stressed about a major life event. Our Nurse practitioners are able to work closely with our counselor in order to find the best treatment plan for our patients," Anderson said.

Kamps is thrilled about the opportunity to work in Three Forks.

"My husband and I made the move from Manhattan about ten years ago, and we could not love it more. We've really been able to see this community grow. It's been pretty exciting," said Kamps. "I really look forward to working with the community to help people live their best lives. I know finding quality care in rural communities can be a challenge, but I really think Cindy (Bates) and the other providers at Three Rivers Medical Clinic have created something really special here. I'm so glad that I get to be part of this amazing team. I know we can make a positive difference in this community."

A third-generation resident of the Gallatin Valley, Kamps grew up in and around the Bozeman/Four Corners area, graduating from Manhattan Christian in 1994.

Except for three years out of state in Michigan, Kamps has lived her entire life in the Gallatin Valley.

"My husband and I have two amazing mutts that we adore. Oh, and we have two adult sons who we are very proud of, too. One of them graduated from Manhattan High, and one of them graduated from Three Forks High," she said.

In 2012 with her kids older and deciding it was time to make some changes, Kamps went back to school to finish her undergraduate degree, eventually earning a Bachelor of Science in Applied Clinical Psychology with a minor in Women's and Gender Studies.

Kamps would then work for nearly seven years for the State of Montana, first working at the Office of Public Assistance in both Helena and Bozeman and later the Child Protective Services in Bozeman.

"Through that experience, the need for more mental health services and support, especially in our more rural communities, became very clear to me. So, I began my Master's Degree in Clinical Mental Health Counseling in 2019, earning my degree in late 2022. I worked with the Gallatin County Reentry Program and other alternative correctional facilities in Butte and Warm Springs. My work there allowed me to gain a lot of experience with trauma, depression, anxiety, and substance abuse. It also inspired me to decide I needed to learn more about substance use and addictions. As such, I enrolled in Graduate School at Montana State University to earn my Graduate Certificate in Addictions Counseling. I plan to complete that certificate in June of 2023," Kamps said.

Area residents can make appointments by calling 406-285-3251.