At Courageous Healing, Inc. we specialize in culturally centered, trauma-informed mental health services, and align our services with the unique challenges that BIPOC communities experience, such as the stigma of mental illness, distrust of systems, lack of culturally competent providers, and lack of adequate access.
Our programs serve uninsured, underinsured, and low-income populations, with an intentional focus on BIPOC populations. We intentionally seek to serve vulnerable populations as defined by Federal Poverty Line & Asset Limited Income Constrained Employed (ALICE) Guidelines. Due to the layering of barriers, this group has higher rates of toxic stress, health concerns, spiritual disconnect, infant mortality, broken family dynamics, etc.
BIPOC individuals often face disparities in mental health care access and outcomes. Focused mental health support can contribute to reducing these disparities by addressing systemic barriers, promoting inclusivity, and actively working to eliminate the stigma associated with mental health within these communities. By fostering open conversations and understanding, mental health support can contribute to creating a more equitable landscape for BIPOC individuals.
Mental health support tailored to BIPOC communities goes beyond individual well-being; it contributes to building community resilience and empowerment. By providing resources and tools for coping with stressors related to systemic racism, discrimination, and other unique challenges, mental health support strengthens the overall resilience of these communities. Empowered individuals within BIPOC communities can actively participate in their own well-being and advocate for systemic changes that promote mental health equity.
We are committed to overcoming client barriers to services, while also paying a competitive wage to our staff of BIPOC therapists, who have traditionally had to discount their services to serve the population. Although decreasing the stigma is important, normalizing culturally centered practices is equally important. Traditionally many cultural norms have gotten diagnosed as maladaptive behaviors or thought patterns. Clients with cost barriers often end up at Community Mental Health Centers, and report feeling “like a number, not a person,” or part of “a system,” indicating our community still has areas of opportunity.
Our biggest strength and what helps us break down barriers within the community we serve is that our therapists look like, talk like, and understand the cultural nuances of the populations we serve, greatly decreasing stigma and facilitating more immediate trust and rapport, creating better client engagement and outcomes.
Our program serves uninsured, underinsured, and low-income populations, with an intentional focus on targeting BIPOC populations. Our state-of-the-art facility is located in Fort Wayne, IN in the zip code of 46803, with a focus on serving and providing access for 46803, 46806, 46816, and surrounding areas, which the Vulnerable Populations Study tells us is among the largest concentration of poverty. Over time, we have also expanded our services to serve clients in Marion, Hendrix, Porter, St. Joseph, Steuben, Huntington, Noble, Grant, Tippecanoe, Montgomery, and Kosciusko counties through virtual services.
We plan to continue to engage every aspect of the community, clients, leaders of organizations, schools, civic leaders, etc. as we tailor our initiatives and efforts to remain responsive to needs. This organization wasn’t born out of our own desires to produce, rather out of demonstrated community need and our passion for addressing needs in innovative ways.
Because this program is central to our organization, our entire budget is built around it. Our funding comes from a diverse portfolio of giving from: individuals, corporations; local, regional and national foundations; government grants; and churches.
Social Justice Foundations: Organizations focused on social justice and equity and prioritize initiatives that address systemic inequities and support marginalized communities.
Health and Mental Health Foundations: Foundations that fund mental health initiatives and prioritize culturally competent care.
Local Government Initiatives: Municipal and county governments that have dedicated funding for community health initiatives and programs addressing health disparities.
Healthcare Companies: Pharmaceutical companies, health insurance providers, and healthcare technology firms that have CSR programs focused on improving community health outcomes and addressing disparities.
Diversity and Inclusion Initiatives: Corporations with strong commitments to diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) may fund initiatives that support mental health and well-being in BIPOC communities as part of their DEI strategies.
Community Foundations: Organizations which focus on improving the quality of life in their respective regions and often support health and social equity initiatives.
Local Businesses and Donors: Local entrepreneurs, business owners, and philanthropists who have a vested interest in the well-being of their communities and may be willing to support local mental health initiatives.
Mental Health Advocacy Organizations: Groups that advocate for improved mental health services and may provide funding or partnership opportunities.
Universities and Research Institutes: Academic institutions with departments or centers focused on public health, social work, psychology, and mental health that might offer research grants or partner on funded projects.
Churches and Faith-Based Charities: Religious organizations that have a history of supporting social services and community health initiatives, recognizing the importance of mental health in overall well-being.
High-Net-Worth Individuals: Philanthropists who are passionate about mental health, social justice, and supporting marginalized communities.
Celebrity Advocates: Public figures who have spoken out about mental health issues and social justice and may be interested in supporting a cause that aligns with their advocacy.
Online Fundraising Platforms: Utilizing platforms like GoFundMe, Kickstarter, or Meta Impact to raise funds from a broad audience who are interested in supporting mental health initiatives for BIPOC communities.
Organizing events such as charity runs, galas, and online campaigns to engage the community and raise awareness and funds for the agency.
By targeting these diverse funding audiences, the BIPOC mental health agency can build a broad base of support, ensuring sustainability and the ability to effectively meet the needs of the communities it serves.
In this industry, our ability as an organization to provide high quality programs and services rests solely on the team that provides the services. In the absence of being able to place the right people, with the right skill sets, in the right seats, we have no ability to implement all of the amazing strategies, provide the much-needed services, or close the gaps in cultural representation within the field. Our people are our program. As a result of the growing need, we will need to continue to scale and increase therapists, administrative support, technology & security, etc. in order to keep our capacity aligned with the growing demands. Our ability to focus on client relations, engagement, retention, and outcomes will be directly tied to having the resources to help grow the team to help sustain the programs.
Our organization is composed of a diverse staff, with a wide range of cultural experiences and backgrounds. Along with Co-founders Aaron and Janell Lane, the organization also consists of five FTE’s, being the Strategy Integrator, Clinical Supervisor, Client & Staff Experience Coordinator, Administrative Assistant, and Registration Specialist, and 7 additional “contracted therapist (11 therapist total),” responsible for managing their own schedules, obtaining their own individual liability insurance, and obtaining their own health/dental/vision insurance. Immediate roles to hire include: 1. Billing and Benefits Specialist and 2. Operations Manager. We also plan to hire an additional Office Coordinator and Client Care Coordinator, specific to the Indianapolis location, should we receive this grant.
