Credit: Submitted
A new grant will help the nonprofit Family Service Association of Bucks County support their call center that often aids locals in crisis.
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The nonprofit Foundations Community Partnership recently awarded a $12,500 Bucks Innovation and Improvement Grant to the Middletown Township-based Family Service Association of Bucks County.
The money will be put toward the organization’s operation of the local branch of the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline and CONTACT Help Line, according to a statement.
The crisis lines have seen upticks in young people calling before and during the pandemic.
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“Since 2019, there has been a dramatic spike in crisis calls from or about children 12 and under; as well as those between 13-17. Insurance companies expect those with commercial insurance to be treated by only licensed clinicians. As the job market for licensed clinicians has grown increasingly competitive, hiring has been a challenge. Thus, callers with commercial insurance are placed on a waitlist for a licensed Family Service clinician, or the carrier will not cover treatment,” the organization said.
The grant funding will help support out-of-pocket costs for some of the kids to be treated by the Family Service master’s-level clinicians.
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“Even prior to the pandemic, we were seeing an increase in mental health crises for our children and youth,” said Julie Dees, CEO at the Family Service Association of Bucks County. “This is both frustrating and sad, because it is preventable. We have a highly-skilled team of clinicians, who have consistently proven successful in counseling our Medicaid clients, and while commercial clients have the same critical needs, they must be wait-listed for treatment, due to a barrier that frankly does not need to be there.”
In addition to the Foundations Community Partnership grant, the Family Service Association of Bucks County recently received a grant in the amount of $2,000 from the Bristol Elks Lodge #970. The money will go toward supporting an expansion of operations and services at the agency’s Bristol facility.
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