According to the National Institute of Mental Health, about one in five adults in the U.S. live with a mental illness.

By Mary O’KEEFE

May is Mental Health Awareness Month and although mental health is now something that is spoken of more freely than in the past, there are still some hurdles faced by those seeking support.

The first hurdle is probably the most difficult – the decision that one makes to ask for help. For some, turning to self-medication or being determined to “just work through it” on their own leads to the need for even more help.

The second hurdle is two-fold: finding a counselor and finding someone who is affordable. Often insurance, even good insurance plans, do not allow for affordable counseling; but there are options.

During COVID-19 the need for mental health support increased – and continues to increase – said Michael Koch, executive director, Southern California Counseling Center (SCCC).

“We have only seen the tip of the iceberg,” he added.

SCCC is a non-profit organization that offers affordable mental health support. Established in 1966, its philosophy of “mental health care is a right, not a privilege” extends to the very base of care it administers. SCCC specialists include therapists-in-training who are working on their master programs in Southern California as well as licensed professionals.

“We change lives and strengthen communities by providing affordable mental health care to people in need,” Koch stated. “That is our mission statement. Anyone who needs counseling should have it.”

SCCC, like many therapists and mental health organizations, had to scramble to create new ways of reaching out to clients virtually. However, over the year of COVID-19, SCCC honed its virtual response and developed its own platform. Moving forward beyond the pandemic, Koch thinks virtual is here to stay.

“If you would have asked me a year ago, I would have said no [to long-term virtual therapy],” he said.

But with a new platform that is tailored specifically to its clients, SCCC provides virtual therapy that not only helped during the pandemic but has allowed it to reach a broad audience.

“The [virtual capability] didn’t happen overnight … It’s like a duck on water. You see the duck easily swimming but what you don’t see are the little feet under water that are going a mile a minute to stay [afloat],” he said. “There is going to be a hybrid of in-person and virtual.”

Koch added there is still a stigma surrounding the subject of mental health but there is education on the subject now that is more widespread.

“We are really making large strides,” he added. “We really make a lot of effort to make sure you feel safe when you walk in the door.”

The therapists make certain those looking for help understand that they are in a safe place and that what is said to them is kept between therapist and patient.

For those who are interested in mental health support it starts with the first step.

“I would encourage [people] to have an intake [meeting] and find out what [mental health support] is,” he said.

It starts with a 45-minute intake meeting when therapists can get an idea of what type of support is needed. The intake charge is a small fee; regular costs range from $5 to $20, depending on the person’s needs.

Therapy sessions are still being held virtually and Koch said in some cases when people do not have computer capability SCCC has been able to provide a Chromebook.

This level of service, especially for a non-profit, requires fundraising and this Saturday, May 22 at 7 p.m., SCCC will be holding one of its largest fundraisers. For the second consecutive year the fundraiser will be held virtually. This year’s theme is Celebrating Resiliency.

 “The success of SCCC relies on the support provided by individuals and philanthropic organizations,” Koch said.

The Celebrating Resiliency annual gala is free; people can join and register at https://e.givesmart.com/events/llA/. For more information, including on how to donate, go to www.SCCC-LA.org.