Our Why
AZ behavioral Health services Fund was established to create a community resource organization to help eliminate barriers that BIPOC persons experience when seeking behavioral health services. Barriers to accessing care include:
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Limited pool of providers of color
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Providers limited availability
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Cost of care
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Financial resources available to pay for care
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Unfamiliarity with the behavioral system of care and how to navigate within it
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Limited understanding of the benefits and limitations of BH care in the community
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Negative stigma regarding seeking care, needing care or continuing in care
The Fund seeks to secure financial resource that will subsidize care where such assistance is necessary and provide the service of connecting community members to providers as matched.
OUR Mission
To develop funds and resources that support access to behavioral health services, especially for persons facing systematic barriers to behavioral health care.
OUR Story
As a long time provider in Phoenix I have made efforts to extend compassionate mental health care to our community through supporting community events, building training and service partnerships with local church leaders and congregations, business partnerships and collaborations, providing training, mentoring, and supervision to therapists of color, and personally sought out counseling for myself in times of challenge and difficulty. I understand and have heard so many times and at so many different levels the desire for African Americans to find the therapist that serves as a witness, a companion, a guide, and counselor as we strive to overcome, to build and develop ourselves and our families. It has pained me many times that these connections failed and for various reasons that seemed preventable. I have connected people to providers and have heard of wonderful stories of success and transition where the feeling of support lasted long beyond the time of care. While mental health treatment is not a magic pill; there is no magic in what we do, it is a uniquely personal and profoundly impactful opportunity to change and share our experience as we walk this life. As I enter a new phase of professional reflection and intention about my contribution to this work, I want to, as much as is possible for me, to facilitate the discovery of this working relationship for those who are seeking it out. This is one way to advocate for and support the process.
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I look forward to partnering with you in this important work.
- Dr. Buffy Wooten