5 Ways CARE is Reducing Barriers to Mental Health Treatment

foggy window graphicDid you know that in 2022, CARE Counseling supported over 15,000 individuals and families and in 2023 therapists held 175,196 appointments? That is a lot of people helped! CARE’s mission is “building a community to strengthen the community,” with decisions filtering through this lens, including initiatives to remove barriers for BIPOC students and developing of team of highly trained therapists to help meet the needs of the community.

The availability of White therapists is more than 3Xs the availability of BIPOC therapists in the United States. CARE More is a non-profit agency created by CARE Counseling in response to the shortage of BIPOC students pursuing master’s or doctoral degrees as only 1.8% of clinicians in Minnesota were BIPOC. By working to remove barriers for students, we are working to remove barriers for clients.

As I have partnered with community organizations and assisted individuals connecting to mental health therapists, some of the biggest barriers included finding a provider who fits multiple criteria such as the following: preferences for provider match, accessibility (including access to interpreters and bilingual therapists), availability, and insurance barriers. I spent a lot of my professional career doing community-based mental health in St. Paul’s Frogtown/ Thomas-Dale neighborhood where over 73% of the population was BIPOC. Even if all these criteria for a therapist were met, there was no guarantee of the quality of care due to variability in training, supervision, and workplace support.

I am so excited to see the impact of high-quality training, supervision, and APA-approved continuing education for CARE therapists on diversity to promote developing cultural competencies. Our clinicians are committed to practicing cultural humility and engaging in culturally responsive approaches as well as ethically minded practices. We have also expanded our services to provide medication management to current clients, provide specific testing services, and share our expertise by offering community presentations.

Here are five ways the CARE has been actively taking steps to remove barriers:

Support in Finding a Provider Match

At CARE Counseling we are proud of our talented, diverse team including clinicians who identify as Black, Indigenous, and Persons of Color (BIPOC). While services are provided in English, several therapists are comfortable providing therapy in other languages including Spanish, Chinese, Vietnamese, and Igbo. Clients need to find a therapist that they trust, and working with a provider who shares similar experiences or identities can help reduce fear and mistrust within therapy as well as provide a sense of emotional safety when exploring topics such as systemic racism, discrimination, microaggressions, acculturation, identity, cultural values, trauma, and internalized beliefs. Our therapists come from all walks of life, with various interests, specialties, and theoretical approaches. With a team of over 250 clinicians, we can help you find a good match for your needs.

Multidisciplinary Treatment Team

Our treatment team is multidisciplinary, meaning that there are providers of multiple training pathways within the mental health field or psychology. Our amazing team of therapists includes clinical trainees, pre-independently licensed therapists (working under supervision), and licensed therapists including licensed independent clinical social workers (LICSW), licensed marriage and family therapists (LMFT), and licensed professional clinical counselors (LPCC) as well as predoctoral therapists, licensed psychologists (LP). By working together, we can assist with providing additional referrals and resources, if needed as well as coordinate care.

Accessibility of In-Person and Telehealth Therapy

At CARE Counseling we are working hard to reduce barriers and are proud to offer both in-person and telehealth therapy to clients within our ten locations. By offering telehealth, we can increase access to clients within the entire state of Minnesota. By offering in-person sessions in Minneapolis accessible on the bus line and expanding to the suburbs and rural Minnesota at our Mankato offices, more clients can be helped.

Same-Week Availability

Are you tired of calling around for an outpatient therapist, only to find that there is a long waitlist? At CARE Counseling, we have a team of therapists with same-week availability to get you the support you need, when you need it.

In-network with All Major Insurance

CARE Counseling is in network with all major insurance, including Medical Assistance which increases access to specialized treatment approaches to all clients.

Written By: Charlotte Johnson, MA, LPCC

Learn and Practice DBT Skills to Help You Cope This Holiday Season

Did you know that Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) has some excellent, easy to remember skills that can be used on the go to cope during the holidays?

How can Therapy Help When I am Feeling Overwhelmed with the Holidays?

The holidays can bring a wide spectrum of emotions—from excitement, joy, and anticipation to anxiety, feeling overwhelmed, depression, loneliness, or despair.

5 Reasons Why Affirmations Are Not Working for You

Affirmations are powerful. Positive statements about yourself impact your thoughts, feelings, and beliefs. They help provide motivation for personal goals and can help improve overall well-being.

Building Youth Confidence

October is Domestic Violence Awareness Month (DVAM) with this year's theme focused on Heal, Hold & Center.
Domestic Violence Awareness Month

October is Domestic Violence Awareness Month (DVAM)

October is Domestic Violence Awareness Month (DVAM) with this year's theme focused on Heal, Hold & Center.
Suicide Awareness

The Impact of Suicide. Your Words Matter.

Suicide is more common than we’d want to admit. Suffering is part of the human experience, and there are a lot of heavy stressors that weigh people down.

Supporting Teacher’s Well-being

CARE Counseling is thrilled to begin offering a Doctoral Internship for Counseling and Clinical Psychology doctoral students enrolled in accredited graduate programs!

6 Things to Consider in Supporting Children’s Adjustment to Change

Change can be difficult, especially for children when their need for safety and stability is uncertain. Establishing consistent and predictable routines helps children feel secure.

Because, College is Hard!

The transition to college can be exciting, but also difficult. You may be leaving the comforts of home and sharing space with others for the first time while managing stressors associated with college life.
Inc.5000 Award

INC 5000 Award

CARE Counseling makes the Inc. 5000 list for fastest growing private companies for three years in a row!

MSP Magazine News Feature

CARE Counseling was featured in an article on “Mental Health: Hurdles to Help,” by Lindsey Scharold with Minneapolis/St. Paul Magazine.

Life Satisfaction: 7 Things to Nurture Emotional Well-Being

“The best predictor for adult life satisfaction is subjective well-being and emotional health during childhood” according to the World Happiness Report. Less than half (47%) of Americans report being “very satisfied” with their own lives.

CARE Counseling Announces New Doctoral Internship

CARE Counseling is thrilled to begin offering a Doctoral Internship for Counseling and Clinical Psychology doctoral students enrolled in accredited graduate programs!

Bracing Yourself for Change: Flexible Vs. Blinded Optimism

Change is stressful, and there will be going to be challenges and these will be temporary; however, this is also an opportunity to utilize your strengths and access the internal and external resources that are available.

Suicide Prevention for Co-Workers: 5 Action Steps

The death of a co-worker can come as an unexpected shock, especially when they have died by suicide. If you are aware that a colleague is struggling, you can make a significant impact in helping them get the care they need.

Clinicians Info

clinicians-info

Customized Meditations for You

What comes to mind when you hear the word meditation? Stereotypes hold some people back from mindfulness practice. That is unfortunate. It is important to dispel the myths and understand the things people get wrong about mindfulness.

Going from Good to Great When You Are Not OK

How often do you get asked, “How are you?” and the polite go-to response is “I’m fine” or “good” thank you. How are you? These phrases are common greetings in the United States but seem to lack much depth.

The Client-Therapist Relationship: Transactional or Relational?

There is a transactional element that is present in receiving therapeutic services; however, a strong therapeutic relationship is vital to the success of therapy.
Summer health tips- blue sky with hands in yoga pose

6 Summer Health Tips to Feel Amazing This Summer

Making lifestyle changes has a significant impact on mental health and well-being. When you take care of your body and engage in safe and enjoyable activities, it has a direct impact on how you think and feel about yourself.

Mindfulness-Based Therapies

Meditation helps one become more present, utilizing the practice of being mindful. Perhaps you already have a basic understanding of meditation

Emotional Intelligence for Families

Self-awareness is a key skill of emotional intelligence. One way to build self-awareness early within a child’s life is to build their feelings vocabulary.

CARE COUNSELING IS A 2024 TOP WORKPLACE

CARE Counseling has been recognized in the Star Tribune's Top Workplaces for the third year in a row!  In 2024, CARE was named on the National Standard Setters list.

Men’s Mental Health Month

CARE Counseling was featured in an interview on the “Stigma still surrounds mental health issues in men,” with Laker Pioneer press.