New Year, New Board Members!

Hi! It's Linda - I'm in my home office (the basement since the kids had dibs on the bedrooms), letting you know about some updates with KMH Foundation!

I'm so excited to let you know that we have new board members, Chris and Stefanie, that joined us this past year to help us sort through counselling applications and streamline our #donation and fundraising processes.

To move forward into the future, it's vital to consider where we've been, what we've learned, where we need to grow, and ultimately what good we want to do in the world. I am so proud to let you know that since starting up, we have been able to connect so many people for #crisis services and #trauma counselling with private practitioners, fully funding their sessions with donations from businesses and people like you.

In all of it, the thing that is most important to us is that we strive to live by #values that help everyone, including:

-People should not have to beg or wait an unreasonable length of time for counselling. #MentalHealth cannot and should not be put on the back burner. It is the essence of who we are and should always be respected.

-Practitioners should be paid appropriately for their expertise and all the overhead that comes with having private offices. Insurance companies, Employee Assistance Programs, and special programs often cap session fees at 50-60%. We seek to change this and pay the appropriate public rates for private practitioners.

We know very well that when a person is in a mental health crisis, but not enough of a crisis where the resources at the hospital will be enough, they can face enormous wait lists. But, if there is a way to pay for private sessions from the incredible private practitioners in our community, they CAN get help, and quickly!

That's where we come in. Donations are pooled and our board members review and manage applications for #therapy coverage from individuals or #therapists. If we can cover it, we cover it. If we can't, we want to be out there #fundraising and knocking down barriers every chance we get.

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