Housing loss or being at risk of losing housing is a crisis. So, everyone who walks through our doors at Good Sam seeking assistance is in active crisis. This is often in addition to the loss of trust in other agencies and the impact of traumatic events, physical health concerns, and barriers to receiving basic needs. In the initial stages of mental health treatment, my primary focus is on establishing a sense of safety and trust with the participant. This includes creating a conducive environment for counseling, from the details of calming room furnishings and session seating arrangements, to ensuring that the pace of treatment is one where the participant feels most comfortable.
To address the fundamental physiological and safety needs outlined in Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs, Good Sam prioritizes providing participants with access to essential resources such as food, shelter, sleep, clothing, and personal safety. Concurrently, our Resource Coordinators work with participants to help them secure employment and access insurance for their physical healthcare needs. It is ESSENTIAL to fulfill these bottom tier basic needs when addressing mental health.
During the intake process, participants often report experiencing moderate levels of anxiety and depression. However, after engaging in counseling at Good Sam for a minimum of three months, we have observed a significant 49.2% reduction in anxiety symptoms of our participants, transitioning from moderate to mild anxiety. Additionally, participants have reported experiencing only ‘mild depression,’ per PHQ-9 assessments, after engaging in counseling for at least three months.
At Good Sam, we have eliminated the barrier of insurance verification for our participants, enabling us to offer high-quality counseling services. Session durations have varied from 20 minutes to 3 hours, and we have provided mental health care for 76 individuals, including men, women, and children, amounting to a total of over 500 hours of mental health care since the launch of services in August 2022.
We’re excited to celebrate this milestone during Mental Health Awareness Month, and we remain dedicated to supporting the mental well-being of the individuals and families we serve during their journey to stability.
Kristin Lapp, LSW
Counselor, Good Samaritan Services
Certified Trauma Professional
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