Betty and Bobby Allison Ozarks Counseling Center is proud to announce that Executive Director Andrea Bishop, LPC, MBA, is being honored with the 2022 Humanitarian Award. Bishop will receive the award at the National Philanthropy Day awards luncheon of the Association of Fundraising Professionals Ozarks Region on Tuesday, Nov. 15, at the White River Conference Room.
Known for her advocacy of affordable mental health care – Ozarks Counseling Center’s core mission for 70 years – Bishop is deeply involved in community service writ large. From working with local police to recognize mental health issues in the field, to collaborating with other local nonprofits to maximize mental health services to the community, Bishop leads by example and outreach.
Our collaborations have included grants for post-partum depression care with the Doula Foundation, counseling for senior citizens with the SeniorAge Agency on Aging, and serving RISE Program participants through the Drew Lewis Foundation, to name a few.
While demand for mental health services is at an all-time high locally and nationwide, Ozarks Counseling Center continues to provide counseling services on a sliding scale that starts at $10 a session, and $10 is the fee quoted for the 33% of our clients who live at or below the poverty level. While our sliding scale goes as high as $100, we also offer a grant program that considers household expenses vs. income to reduce fees for those with financial burdens. Our grants can reduce a quoted fee by up to 50%.
The average fee paid by our sliding scale clients was $27 in 2021; our breakeven was $45. How do we make up the difference? We are proud to be supported by our community through the United Way of the Ozarks, plus leadership, advocacy and fundraising by Bishop and our dedicated board. We are also serving an increasing percentage of insurance clients whose higher fees uplift the bottom line.
For more information about AFP Ozarks Region’s National Philanthropy Day awards luncheon, sponsored by AFP, Ozarks Health Advocacy Foundation and Community Foundation of the Ozarks, please visit AFP here.