Lawrence County Mental Health and Wellness

10/19/2025

Reintroduction of my bio for our expansion of our mental health facility

Dr. Michael McMullen, DNP, PMHNP-BC

Dr. Michael McMullen is a board-certified Psychiatric-Mental Health Nurse Practitioner and the owner of Lawrence County Mental Health & Wellness in New Castle, Pennsylvania. With a career rooted in compassion, integrity, and evidence-based care, Dr. McMullen has dedicated his professional life to improving mental health outcomes, supporting addiction recovery, and fostering hope for individuals and families across western Pennsylvania.

Since founding Lawrence County Mental Health & Wellness in 2016, Dr. McMullen has built a highly respected multidisciplinary practice that emphasizes personalized treatment, accessibility, and holistic wellness. His leadership and clinical excellence have earned his practice multiple prestigious honors — including being voted “Best of the Best” in DNP/Psychiatry by the New Castle News 2025 Readers’ Choice Awards, and ranked #1 Mental Health Clinic in Northwestern Pennsylvania for 2025 by BusinessRate.

Dr. McMullen earned dual Doctor of Nursing Practice degrees in Adult Psychiatric-Mental Health and Family Practice from the University of Michigan–Flint. While he completed his Family Nurse Practitioner program, his professional certification is in Psychiatric-Mental Health Nursing (PMHNP-BC) through the American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC). He also holds credentials from the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) for Medication-Assisted Treatment (MAT) and is actively engaged in advancing addiction medicine and integrated behavioral healthcare.

Beyond his clinical work, Dr. McMullen is a passionate educator and mentor, having precepted and guided numerous graduate and post-graduate nurse practitioner students from universities nationwide. His mentorship emphasizes compassion, ethical practice, and the art of therapeutic connection — shaping the next generation of psychiatric professionals.

In August 2025, Dr. McMullen published his first book, The Alcoholic’s Survival Guide, a self-help and educational resource offering practical tools, nutritional advice, DUI law insights, and treatment guidance for individuals and families impacted by alcohol use.

Further expanding his scope of practice, Dr. McMullen became certified by Aesthetics Medical Educators Training (AMET) on June 19 for the administration of botulinum toxin type A and dermal fillers, merging aesthetic care with emotional wellness to promote confidence and self-esteem.

In his spare time, Dr. McMullen enjoys going to the gym, spending time with his best friend Logan — a loyal Doberman Pinscher — and relaxing with close friends. His genuine nature, sense of humor, and dedication to helping others reflect both his professional excellence and his belief that healing begins with human connection

10/18/2025

🖤 Meet Scout — Our Gentle Guardian 🖤

Scout, our beautiful black German Shepherd, is the calm heartbeat of the practice. With her soft eyes, quiet grace, and motherly presence, she has a natural gift for bringing peace wherever she goes.

While she loves her treats and chew bones, Scout is best known for her soothing energy — the kind that instantly makes patients (and staff!) feel grounded and safe. She’s a master of quiet observation, preferring to keep a gentle watch over the office with her innate sense of protection and loyalty.

Though she carries herself with elegance and calm, her inner guardian never rests — always alert, always loving, always ready to care for her pack. Scout reminds us that true strength often speaks softly… and sometimes wags its tail. 🐾

10/17/2025

🐾 Meet Logan, Our Four-Legged Greeter & Chief Happiness Officer

Logan is our beloved red Doberman Pinscher who takes his role at the office very seriously — well, as seriously as one can while wearing bow ties and costumes for doggie daycare! 🐶

He spends two days a week at the practice, greeting patients in the lobby with a wagging tail, gentle eyes, and the occasional cold nose “hello.”

When he’s not collecting treats or soaking up compliments, Logan can be found guarding the doors with kindness — ensuring everyone who walks in feels safe, seen, and loved.

Known for his impeccable style, endless charm, and ability to melt stress with a single look, Logan reminds us all that healing sometimes starts with a friendly paw and a good dose of unconditional love. 🐾

10/17/2025

Introducing Louann our Medical assistant

With over 55 years in the medical field, Luann has truly done it all — and done it with compassion, grit, and an unstoppable spirit! From her early days at Jameson Hospital, where she wore many hats as a nurse aide, secretary, and scheduler, to her later years mastering wound care and pain management, Luann’s dedication to helping others shines through every role she’s taken on.

A Certified Medical Assistant and seasoned professional in Genesis Medical and Shenango Home’s Alzheimer’s Unit, Luann’s experience reflects her lifelong devotion to caring for others across every stage of life. She’s been a Med Tech, EMT, volunteer firefighter, and even a dispatcher — proving that when it comes to serving her community, she’s always ready to answer the call.

Beyond the scrubs and stethoscopes, Luann’s greatest roles are those closest to her heart — mother and grandmother. She brings the same love, energy, and humor that she’s known for at work into her family life, where she’s the glue that holds generations together.

10/16/2025

Cassidy is a dedicated behavioral health practice manager; she brings a strong background in healthcare operations, provider support, and mental health services administration. With a deep understanding of the unique challenges facing behavioral health practices, she specialize in optimizing day-to-day operations, managing staff, and ensuring compliance with the ever-evolving regulatory and payer requirements.
From overseeing billing, coding, and credentialing workflows to enhancing patient experiences and provider efficiency, she focuses on creating systems that allow providers to do what they do best, deliver compassionate, quality patient centered care. Her experience is in private practice but has extended to telehealth environments. She has a strong track record for improving operational flows, reducing overhead, and increasing revenue cycle performance.
What drives Cassidy is her mission: Supporting mental health providers so they can better serve their communities. With her hands on leadership style and solution focused mindset, she thrives in helping LCMHW grow, stay compliant, and deliver exceptional patient centered care.

10/15/2025

Introducing our new provider

Ellen M. Riccio, MSN, FNP-BC, PMHNP-BC

Psychiatric-Mental Health and Family Nurse Practitioner

Ellen Riccio is a double board-certified Family and Psychiatric-Mental Health Nurse Practitioner with nearly three decades of diverse clinical experience spanning emergency medicine, primary care, addiction recovery, hospice and palliative care, and psychiatry.

Ellen began her nursing career as a Jameson Memorial Hospital Graduate Nurse in 2005, where she built the foundation for her patient-centered, compassionate approach to care. Before becoming a nurse practitioner, she served as a paramedic and flight nurse, experiences that strengthened her clinical judgment and deepened her empathy for individuals and families navigating crisis and change.

Ellen earned her Master of Science in Nursing (Family Nurse Practitioner) from Carlow University in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, and completed her Post-Master’s Certificate in Psychiatric-Mental Health at Walden University, where she is currently pursuing her Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP).

She provides comprehensive mental health care for children, adolescents, and adults ages 6 and older at Lawrence County Mental Health & Wellness, offering treatment for depression, anxiety, ADHD, trauma, addiction, and mood disorders. Her therapeutic approach integrates evidence-based medicine, holistic principles, and patient education, fostering emotional balance and long-term wellness.

Ellen also holds credentials with the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) for Medication-Assisted Treatment (MAT) and remains active in advancing best practices in addiction medicine.

Beyond her clinical work, Ellen has a passion for teaching and mentorship, having instructed EMT and paramedic courses to guide and inspire the next generation of healthcare professionals.

In her free time, Ellen enjoys baking, traveling, and spending time with her family, who continually inspire her to live with gratitude, laughter, and purpose.

10/13/2025

Thank you BusinessRate for this prestigious award !

10/06/2025

09/10/2025

Thanks to the community and my great staff for this award ! We are honored !

05/06/2025

National Nurses Week !!!

05/01/2025

May 1st to May 7th