May is Mental Health Awareness Month, with a focus on children and youth, as well as marginalized populations. Anyone can experience mental health distress and should seek services from a trusted provider.
Personal Counseling Services, Inc. (PCS) in Clarksville recently received nineteen calls from uninsured families, but there were no additional funds available to serve them. The first week in April, the CARE Family Navigator from the Indiana Chapter of the American Academy of Pediatrics contacted
PCS to provide mental health services to a child who had no insurance. This family searched everywhere and was told there was a 6-7 week waiting list. We took this child as a pro bono client in the hope that funding would be available. Now, thanks to the Duke Energy Foundation, we will be able to continue serving this child.
“Mental health needs are pressing in our communities,” said Lisa Huber, Government and community relations manager for Duke Energy in southern Indiana. “It’s important that everyone has access to mental health services, and we are honored to support the great work that PCS does, which is a lifeline in southern Indiana.”
Today, PCS receives an average of 231 referrals per month, and many of these referrals are uninsured or underinsured; many are marginalized or at-risk. “We appreciate the generosity of the Duke Energy Foundation,” said Doug Drake, President and CEO of PCS. “We see many clients who don’t have financial resources or insurance, and every dollar makes a difference and can virtually save a life.” It is essential to be able to provide mental health services to our children and youth.
About Personal Counseling Services
PCS is a non-profit, outpatient mental health Center. Since its founding in 1959, it has provided more than 694,000 hours of counseling and psychiatric services by offering a caring refuge from the stress or trauma of daily living. It promotes overall well-being, overall wellness of mind, body, spirit, and community. Sixty-seven percent (67%) of the clients PCS helps are children and adolescents, and 59% of those served are at or below the federal poverty guideline.
The Duke Energy Foundation provides philanthropic support to meet the needs of communities where
Duke Energy customers live and work. The Foundation contributes more than $2 million annually in
charitable gifts to Indiana and is funded by Duke Energy shareholder dollars. More information about
The Foundation can be found on their website.
