MDS Counseling Center (Maria Droste Services of Colorado, Inc.)

Needs Statement

Mental health issues are frequently cited as root causes of poverty, hunger and homelessness. For example, the top 10 factors that contribute to homelessness include “relationship or family break-up”, “abuse or violence in home”, “substance abuse”, and “mental illness or emotional problems” (Colorado Interagency Council on Homelessness, Colorado Statewide Homeless Count, 2006). Still, many families cannot access quality counseling services due to low income or lack of health insurance coverage.

Programs at the community mental health centers will often not accept clients unless they have a diagnosed mental illness. People may be denied services if they have other issues (i.e., primary diagnosis substance abuse, or marriage/family problems); or if they lack Medicare, Medicaid or other insurance, or the ability to pay out of pocket (up to $60 for intake and assessment plus monthly counseling fees).

MDS responds by assisting people when they have nowhere else to turn. To ensure access to services, MDS fees slide as low as $5 per session—or 50¢ when needed. This is substantially lower than the sliding-scale fees offered by other counseling centers.

Background Statement

MDS Counseling Center (Maria Droste Services of Colorado, Inc.) is a community-based, non-profit mental health organization serving low-income, uninsured, working-poor individuals and families in the Denver area. Our mission is to improve lives by providing high-quality counseling services to adults, children and families, regardless of their ability to pay.

MDS was founded in 1989 to bridge the gaps in available mental health care for underserved populations in our community. The Options program was established that same year to specifically address the agency’s mission of providing counseling regardless of one’s ability to pay. Since its inception 19 years ago, MDS has grown in targeted ways to meet other significant, identified mental health needs. As a result, the Children First program was created in 1990, and MDS launched its Survivors Mental Health program in 2000.

Executive Director Statement

Working in the field of mental health and counseling is a great privilege for me. I view this work as the one of the most profound and important in the areas of conflict resolution, reconciliation, and ultimately creating peace in our world.

When we are able to help families resolve a problem or conflict that has impacted everyone in the family, they truly can go on in their lives with some sense of peace.

MDS Counseling Center is a rare organization in that it provides a win-win-win situation for all involved. Through our unique structure, our community programs, therapist training program and professional therapists involved with our organization, we accomplish a great deal:
• Effective community programs that fill a gap and provide much needed counseling services for those in need.
• An essential learning environment for therapists in training, and exposure to working with the marginalized in our community.
• A collegial environment that engages professional therapists, allows them to share their wealth of experience and stay on the cutting edge of new developments in the field.

Throughout the past 19 years, MDS has dedicated resources and energy to grow in ways to meet the most pressing identifiable mental health needs.

We see one of the most pressing problems as lack of access to quality mental health care, especially for those who are uninsured or underinsured.

MDS Counseling Center fosters hope by providing counseling services to folks within our community who might otherwise have no resources available to them. In our work, we have the opportunity to meet and walk with extraordinary people at very difficult stages in their lives. We respond when troubled children have serious problems at school or home. We foster the skills that children need to succeed and we help parents support their families and get through difficult times.

This is our most important work. We are very grateful to those in the community who help us achieve this mission.

Linda E. McKinzie
Executive Director
MDS Counseling Center

Board Chair/President Statement

The Board of Directors of MDS is honored to be part of a committed team providing excellent mental health services to the underserved in the Denver metropolitan area, regardless of their ability to pay. MDS Counseling Center reaches out with inclusiveness, enthusiasm, empathy, humility, and love to all we serve – children, adults and families.

About 20 years ago our founders recognized the urgent need to expand mental health care to the unserved and underserved in the Denver community. Since then MDS has grown, providing compassionate care through our Children First, Options, Survivors Mental Health and Counselor Training Programs. Today, the MDS Counseling Center’s professional staff of over 25 licensed and credentialed psychotherapists and an annual class of approximately 24 graduate-level interns are equipped to deliver care across a broad range of mental health disciplines.

MDS has a dedicated and highly skilled board, an outstanding executive director and small support staff. The Friends of MDS, an energetic group of volunteers, assists in fund-raising, staff recognition, and in meeting many needs of the organization. We also rely on a number of onsite volunteers.

The Board of Directors focuses on the financial health of MDS by appealing to many foundations, agencies, companies and individuals. During 2009, our 20 year anniversary, we will embark on a new and exciting fund-raising event. We expect to increase funding to help expand services to those in need. Annually the Board uses a set of standardized and objective measurement tools to assess MDS Counseling Center’s program effectiveness. The result of these assessments, has improved the Board’s financial stewardship, making sure that each of our dollars is effectively and efficiently employed. During the last quarter of 2008 the MDS Board will update our Strategic Plan, thus extending a pathway to life enhancing and healing mental health care to even more of the underserved and unserved in our community.

We are indebted to and greatly appreciate the generosity of the many organizations and individuals who have given money, time and talent to underwrite our mission. We look forward to their continued support and pledge to use every dollar wisely for the betterment of our clients

Gary Hahn
Board President
MDS Counseling Center