We recognize mental health is just as important as physical health. When individuals are mentally and physically healthy they are able to work or continue their education.
Your support allows United Way of Jackson County to sustain The Family Counseling Program through Family Service and Children’s Aid. This program addresses a wide variety circumstances: parent-child alienation, child behavior problems, child abuse and neglect, grief and loss, marriage conflicts, substance abuse, depression and work/life issues. Treatment is customized according to client’s needs and not their ability to pay. Each year hundreds of Jackson County residents seek services through this program. Tom is just one of many who was able to turn his life around, saving his job and relationship with his children.
The federally mandated health care safety net didn’t catch Tom and he fell through the cracks. He worked with a small company that could not provide health care insurance and he could not afford it on his own. He was desperate and about to lose his job. Tom was tired, depressed, and struggled to get out of bed to go to work. His wife just left him and their two young kids.
Tom needed help.
Tom was referred to the United Way supported Family Counseling Program at Family Service and Children’s Aid. Eventually the therapist was able to talk with his doctor to help get appropriate medication for his depression and helped the client find supports so he could be available to his kids. Once these supports were in place, Tom was able to process feelings engendered by the abandonment of his marriage, and look at relationships with his ex-wife’s family. He began to view his situation with more hope. His quality of life and relationships at work and home improved. He was able to maintain his job. Tom still struggles at times, however, without Family Counseling’s support, he could not grieve the loss of his family while continuing to work and eventually regain control over his life.
This program provides counseling services that focus on reducing depression and anxiety, promotes health from trauma and neglect, and teaches interpersonal skills to improve lives. Some 93% of children and 91% of adult clients demonstrated improvement in their mental health or behavioral functioning upon completion of treatment. This program is keeping kids in school, adults on the job and families together. The IMPACT of your support is real and is making a difference in Jackson County.
Thank you.