During Mental Health Awareness Month, Family Support Services of Amarillo is asking the community to take a closer look at a growing reality: The demand for mental health services in our region is rising rapidly, and the resources to sustain that care are not keeping pace.
Every day, individuals and families are referred to Family Support Services as a last line of support. Survivors of violence, children navigating trauma, veterans carrying invisible wounds, and families in crisis walk through the doors seeking help — many with nowhere else to turn.
“If we were not here, where would they go?” said CEO Brandi Reed. “That’s not a rhetorical question. For many of the individuals we serve, there is not another option.”
At the heart of this work are licensed professional counselors who provide trauma-informed care to those who often cannot afford it. These are highly trained professionals walking alongside people in their darkest moments helping them process grief, heal from abuse, and rebuild their lives.
Yet the reality behind that care is difficult.
The salaries of these counselors are not fully covered by grants or reimbursement funding. Each year, Family Support Services absorbs a significant financial gap to ensure that individuals, regardless of income, can access the help they need.
“A for-profit model could not sustain this kind of work,” Reed said. “And yet, as a nonprofit, we are expected to meet that need every single day.”
The organization also carries essential operational costs that are not reimbursed through funding sources, roles that keep the doors open, the lights on, and services running for thousands across the Panhandle.
Family Support Services is actively working to strengthen its long-term sustainability, but the need for community partnership has never been greater.
This Mental Health Awareness Month, the organization is inviting the community to be part of the solution.
“If you have ever struggled or loved someone who has… then you understand how critical access to care can be,” Reed said. “Healing does not happen overnight, but it has to start somewhere. Your support can be that starting point for someone who feels like they have nowhere else to turn.”
Family Support Services is asking individuals, businesses, and community partners to consider making a financial gift to support local mental health services. Because behind every session, every conversation, and every step toward healing is a person choosing to try again. And they should not have to do that alone.
To learn more or to donate, please visit www.fss-ama.org or contact Reed at breed@fss-ama.org or 806-681-5401.
This article originally appeared on Amarillo Globe-News: FSS sees mental health needs surge across Texas Panhandle
Reporting by By Family Support Services, Special to the Amarillo Globe-News / Amarillo Globe-News
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
