Family Practice & Internal Medicine

Family practice doctors and nurse practitioners provide care to people of all ages. These generalists treat chronic conditions, evaluate symptoms, offer preventative care, and let people know when they need to see a specialist.

Family practice doctors and nurse practitioners work with patients of all ages and deliver a wide range of care services. Among other things, they offer:

  • Care for when you are sick.
  • Routine checkups, including well-baby and child visits
  • Health risk assessments
  • Immunizations
  • Screening tests
  • Healthy lifestyle counseling
  • Prevention and management of chronic conditions

Mental & Behavioral Health

At VNA Health Care, our specialists surround you and your family with nonjudgmental, individualized support. Mental health encompasses emotional, psychological and social well-being and is important at all ages and stages of life. According to the Centers for Disease Control & Prevention, more than 50% of the United States population will be diagnosed with a mental illness or disorder at some point in their lifetime. At VNA, we also recognize the connection between physical and mental health. VNA provides a holistic approach to care. This means that your mental and behavioral health provider collaborate in order to keep you at your peak mental and physical health.

Mental health may effect how a person thinks, feels and acts. Adverse changes to mental health can be the result of environmental and biological factors. VNA psychiatrists, licensed clinical social workers and nurse practitioners will provide the resources needed to navigate these potentially complex health issues. VNA providers work with patients to develop methods to cope with stress, relate to others and make healthy choices.

Unfortunately, there is still stigma around mental health disorders. VNA provides a safe and supportive environment for patients to seek treatment. There are many myths and misunderstandings which make patients reluctant to seek help when they are in need. The CDC offers a short quiz to help dispel some of these myths.

We are always here to assist you and your loved ones with any behavioral or mental health issues. We have 16 convenient locations serving Kane, Will, DuPage, and Kendall County as well as portions of Cook County.

Treatment

Behavioral and mental health disorders frequently occur alongside other mental or physical illnesses. Treatment at VNA is individualized to each patient and may include a combined approach in order to address underlying issues at the root of the patient’s diagnosis.

Psychiatric treatment, cognitive behavioral therapy, “talk” therapy, play therapy, and art therapy are some techniques that may be used dependent upon the nature of the diagnosis and the mental and physical age of the patient.

While biological factors play a significant role in your mental health, an individual’s actions have the potential to impact mental health as well. Risky behaviors, such as drinking, substance abuse, sex addiction, or eating disorders may adversely affect a patient’s quality of life and necessitate the need for treatment.

Ultimately, receiving an accurate diagnosis and the appropriate treatment is essential.

Getting the Right Diagnosis and Treatment

It’s critical to obtain the correct diagnosis from an expert in the field before proceeding with any treatment plan. This is because you’ll need a precise diagnosis to determine the combination of treatment that is best for you. VNA providers will carefully evaluate your symptoms to assess your physical and mental health before developing a treatment plan tailored to your needs.

In some cases, mental illness can be challenging to diagnose, but our healthcare providers will rule out other conditions that may affect your mental health. For example, they may order blood tests and other various types of examinations.

Therapy and Treatment

VNA’s therapists and medical providers provide mental and behavioral health services to children, teens, and adults. Therapists work one-on-one with clients to address issues such as depression, addiction, generalized anxiety disorder, or other behavioral disorders through counseling sessions. Nurse practitioners and psychiatrists can prescribe and monitor medications and provide therapy. Appointments are available at various locations in the western suburbs of Chicago or virtually via telehealth.

All patients have access to affordable, high-quality mental and behavioral health services. VNA accepts Medicare, Medicaid, and many private insurances. Those who don’t have insurance pay on a sliding fee discount scale.

VNA Health Care providers are well-equipped to guide you on the journey of healing.

Call us at (630) 892-4355 or contact us online to connect with a VNA mental and behavioral health team member today!

If you Need Help Immediately

If you’re thinking about suicide, are worried about a friend or loved one, or would like emotional support, the Lifeline network is available 24/7 across the United States. The Lifeline is available for everyone, is free, and confidential. Simply dial 988 to reach the National Suicide & Crisis Lifeline.

Home-Based Services

For some people, receiving care at home can be the best temporary or permanent option and VNA’s home-based care can be the key to achieving the highest quality of life possible. It can enable safety, security, and increased independence; it can ease management of an ongoing medical condition; it can help avoid unnecessary hospitalization; it can aid with recovery after an illness, injury, or hospital stay—all through care given in the comfort and familiarity of home. At VNA, home-based care includes medical house calls, home-health and hospice and this care is available to patients of all ages.

Older Adult Care Services

VNA serves older adults at our health centers and also at your home. Services can also be provided via telemedicine, where appropriate.

VNA can help you maintain independence and live your best life.

Services include:

  • Sick Care
  • Medication Management
  • Preventive Care including:
    • Women’s health screenings
    • Men’s health screenings
    • dietitian services
    • Wellness classes
    • Reduction of fall risk
  • Care for chronic conditions including:
    • Diabetes
    • High blood pressure
    • High cholesterol
    • Heart conditions
    • Arthritis
    • Kidney disease
    • Pain
  • Vaccinations including: COVID, Flu, Shingles
  • Skin Health
  • Optometry
  • Dental
  • Podiatry
  • Nutrition
  • Mental and Behavioral Health
  • Lab
  • Pharmacy

Can’t get to your doctor appointment?

We will come to your home to address your health care needs.

Caregivers

Today, 53 million Americans are caregivers to their loved ones. Caregivers offer support in the following ways:

Managing medication

  • Going to and from doctor appointments
  • Preparing daily meals and doing housework
  • Assisting with getting in/out of beds and chairs
  • Helping with grooming and bathing
  • Managing finances
  • Often managing career, kids and parents

Caregiving for a loved one is admirable and honorable. However, it’s also stressful and can cause burnout. VNA wants to support you.

Call us to schedule an appointment for your loved one or support for yourself.

Call for an appointment

Doula Services

Who is Eligible for Doula Services?

Doulas are provided at no charge to any interested participant in Kane County and Will County.

In Kane County, interested patients must either be a current participant in the VNA Healthy Families program or be eligible to became a participant in the Healthy Families program in order to be eligible for the services of a VNA doula. Learn more about the Healthy Families Program here. To learn more about VNA doula services for Healthy Families participants, please call (630) 892-4355, ext 8254.

In Will County, all VNA patients who are currently receiving their pregnancy care at VNA are eligible for doula services. To learn more about VNA doula services for VNA patients in Will County, please call (630) 892-4355, ext 8522.

What is a Doula?

A doula is a woman trained to provide physical and emotional support during your pregnancy, while you are in labor, and after your baby is born. A doula understands the physical process of birth as well as the importance of your emotional state during that time.

Doulas provide or suggest physical comfort measures during labor and birth such as massage, breathing exercises and positioning. Doulas help families communicate with caregivers and help families feel comfortable as they experience pregnancy and labor.

According to the Chicago Doula Project, women working with a doula are less likely to have a Cesarean section or use medication during labor. They also have a lowered risk of postpartum depression and are more likely to breastfeed.

How Can a Doula Help Me?

Your doula will begin meeting with you in your home around your seventh month of pregnancy. She will discuss pregnancy as well as help you prepare for the birth of your baby. She will bring information and give you a chance to talk about your feelings and what kind of birth experience you would like.

  • Your doula may attend a prenatal doctor’s visit with you if you would like.
  • Your doula will come to the hospital with you when you go into labor and stay with you until the baby is born.
  • Your doula will visit you for several weeks after the baby is born to get you off to a great start with parenting.
  • VNA doulas teach prenatal classes to help moms meet other expectant families and learn more about pregnancy and birth.

Is a Doula a Medical Professional?

No, a doula is not a doctor and will not perform any medical procedures. A doula does not make decisions for you. Your doula will help you make informed decisions for yourself.

A doula does not take the place of the loving support of family or your partner; no one else could fill this special role. A doula can help the other people involved at the birth of your baby participate comfortably. Your doula can give your support team helpful ideas about what they can do to best support you at this time.

Hospice

Facing the end of your life or losing a loved one can be a long journey.

You can call VNA Hospice even if you or your loved one are not ready to start hospice care. Our hospice team will answer your questions or help you find resources that might be helpful to your family.

Topics we can help with include:

  • Advance Directives
  • End-Of-Life Issues
  • Making Plans To Provide Care For A Loved One With A Terminal Illness
  • Grief And Loss Issues
  • Understanding Palliative Care Vs. Curative Treatment

100% of VNA Hospice family members have told VNA they would recommend VNA Hospice to others based on the care their family received.

To speak to a member of our hospice team, call (630) 526-7871 x 8645.

VNA provides hospice care in the following counties:

  • DuPage
  • Kane
  • Kendall
  • Will

Postpartum Care

When it is time to deliver your baby, you will go to either Rush-Copley Medical Center in Aurora, Advocate Sherman Hospital in Elgin, AMITA Health Adventist Medical Center Bolingbrook, or AMITA Health St. Joseph Medical Center Joliet. When you come to VNA for your prenatal care you will have a multi-disciplinary care team on hand to ensure that you get the best care possible and your baby will be delivered by your VNA provider. VNA hospital liaisons will visit you during your stay in the hospital to assist in coordinating your follow-up care at your nearest VNA Health Center.

VNA offers TOLAC (Trial of Labor after Cesarean) and VBAC (Vaginal Birth after Cesarean) services which you may consider after consultation with your obstetrician.

The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists recommends that postpartum care be an ongoing process rather than just a single visit after your delivery. Have contact with your health care provider within the first three weeks after delivery. Within 12 weeks after delivery, see your health care provider for a comprehensive postpartum evaluation.

During this appointment, your health care provider will check your mood and emotional well-being, discuss contraception and birth spacing, review information about infant care and feeding, talk about your sleep habits and issues related to fatigue, and do a physical exam. This might include a check of your abdomen, vagina, cervix and uterus to make sure you’re healing well. This is a great time to talk about any concerns you might have, including resuming sexual activity and how you’re adjusting to life with a new baby.

Better Birth Outcomes

This program focuses on preventing low–birth weight infants for women considered at high risk for pre-term births. We screen and assess women to determine their program eligibility.

Women do not need to be a VNA Health Care patient to participate in Better Birth Outcomes. Through the program, a registered nurse provides a home visit once each trimester to help the patient develop and implement a care plan.

Services include referrals for medical and social services, arrangement for transportation to health care, support services and pregnancy-related appointments, and care coordination.

To make a referral to VNA’s Better Birth Outcomes program, call (630) 482-8125.

Family Case Managment

Pregnant women and families with a child under one year old who live in Kane County and are below 200% of the Federal Poverty Level qualify for this program. VNA family case managers can provide referrals for both medical and social services.

Women do not need to be a VNA Health Care patient to use Family Case Management services. These services are integrated with those provided through the Women, Infant and Children (WIC) nutrition program. VNA’s Family Case Management program is located within the WIC department at our Aurora/Highland Ave. location.

To make a referral to VNA’s Family Case Management program, call (630) 482-8181.

Women, Infants & Children (WIC)

Standing for Women, Infants and Children, WIC is a food-assistance program for those with a low-to-medium income. WIC can provide an EBT card to provide healthful foods every month for each eligible family member enrolled in the program.

The WIC program benefits pregnant, breastfeeding and postpartum women; infants; and children under five years old. WIC offers breastfeeding support and nutrition tips as well.

Working families and parents on unemployment can qualify. You do not need to be a U.S. citizen to sign up for WIC. VNA staff will assist you with the application. To get started, call (630) 892-4720.

VNA’s WIC program is located at 400 N. Highland Avenue in Aurora. View hours and get directions here. WIC is also available in other areas where it is sponsored by local organizations. VNA can help you find your local WIC program if you live outside of the Aurora area.

This institution is an equal opportunity provider. 

USDA Nondiscrimination Statement