The Bethel Free Health Clinic in Biloxi, Mississippi, has been awarded a $75,000 grant to enhance its mental health services, aimed at providing much-needed support to the clinic’s patients. The clinic, which offers free primary care to uninsured individuals, will use the grant to help address mental health issues, such as depression and anxiety, among its patients.
Addressing Mental Health Needs
The clinic, staffed by volunteer nurses and physicians, provides essential healthcare to individuals in the county who otherwise lack access due to financial constraints. The new funding will allow the clinic to offer mental health treatments to patients who are often struggling with mental health issues but have no resources to afford necessary medications or therapy.
Executive Director of Bethel Free Health Clinic, Jan Vest, highlighted the critical need for mental health services, particularly for those facing economic hardship. “You can imagine how hard it is for a patient who’s working and may have a family and they don’t make enough to have health insurance,” said Vest. “So, they come in and they’re rather depressed or dealing with anxiety and they have nowhere to go because they don’t have any money to pay for their treatment or medications.”
Providing Access to Vital Services
This grant ensures that individuals facing both financial and mental health challenges can access the treatment they need, offering relief to those who would otherwise go without. In addition to providing mental health treatments, the clinic is also focused on raising awareness about these services, helping patients understand that options are available to them even in the face of financial barriers.
The Bethel Free Health Clinic’s new initiative will not only address immediate mental health needs but will also provide ongoing support for its patients, contributing to their overall well-being and mental health stability. This grant marks an important step in ensuring that vulnerable members of the Biloxi community have access to comprehensive healthcare, including mental health services.
