Our phones are ringing off the hook, and our community is in crisis. For the past three months, we have averaged 10 crisis calls a week from families desperate to receive help for their children. Caregivers are reporting that their children are suffering from depression, crippling anxiety, suicidal ideation, and self-harm.
The impact of the trauma of bullying and isolation has been profound on our youth. To put you in the shoes of these parents, imagine for a moment that your teenager has expressed a desire to hurt themselves or end their life. You are, of course, desperate to find timely, appropriate, effective, and affordable care for your child. Their life is in your hands. You are calling private practices and agencies all day long. You are faced with waiting lists, voicemails, and confusing directions. You are frustrated and afraid. You call Bacon Street in the hopes that someone can help.
We, unlike many other groups, do not keep a waiting list. We, unlike many other groups, do not turn anyone away for the inability to pay.
When we pick up the phone and hear that caregivers have been passed around from agency to agency all day, we compassionately listen and actively problem solve. After an initial screening, we determine if we can accept the child and their family as a client.
If we can, the family is matched with one of our counselors for in-person or virtual sessions. Each client is carefully matched based upon their present concerns and our counselors’ areas of expertise.
Currently, our counselors offer the following evidence-based therapeutic methods for our youth clients and their families: person-centered, EMDR, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, Mindfulness, and Dialectical Behavioral Therapy. While we do accept most major insurances, we also know that some of our clients are uninsured or cannot cover the copay from a session. To alleviate that financial burden, we offer a sliding scale for payment to meet our clients where they are at, and cover the cost for those who cannot afford services.
If we can’t meet someone’s needs, we are able to refer them to one of our many partners and trusted associates across Hampton Roads. We ensure that our clients will feel heard and will receive compassionate care in a timely fashion. We are fierce advocates and experienced guides through the often overwhelming process of seeking help. We have been serving our community in their greatest times of need for 51 years because of your continued generosity and support.
To meet the ever-growing needs of our community, we have recently hired four new counselors and are accepting new clients. We are always seeking out feedback from our community partners to see how we can best fit their needs.
Whether we are providing individual and family counseling for substance use, mental health, or co-occurring disorders or case management for our Journey Home Project clients, our staff focuses on healing for the whole family free of judgement and full of compassion.