Mental Health America of the Central Carolinas will open a new counseling center at the start of the new year. Renovations to the current office space are currently underway to serve those who may need mental health counseling but cannot afford it.
The clinic will be located at 3701 Latrobe Drive.
The clinic’s pro-bono services are made possible by an investment from Mecklenburg County’s American Rescue Plan Act funding.
The organization has announced Megan Bryant, a native of Shiloh, N.C., as the director of the future clinic.
Bryant has a Master of Science degree in Clinical Counseling and 13 years of mental health experience, including operating her own practice. She’ll lead the clinic’s staff of graduate students who will come from UNC Charlotte and Johnson C. Smith University (JCSU)’s social work programs.
The Master’s level interns will provide one-on-one, group therapy, and even couples therapy.
Bryant said one reason the organization chose to partner with JCSU was to support the training of future Black clinicians. Counseling is a field where they are under-represented. This is something Bryant says she realized when studying psychology in college.
“There was a need in our community,” said Bryant who also said there were few Black students in her psychology classes. “We need to fill this hole; I need to be the one to fill this void.”
Other staff will include subcontractors and other licensed clinicians, including Bryant.
The clinic will offer unlimited, free services to those in need. Should the clinic reach capacity, it would still provide connections to outside resources.
“[I’d] rather have too many [people to serve] than not enough,” said Bryant.
I am so glad that this is going to occur. Finally a mental health clinic for our youth who are very much in need this day and time. Hope that you have some good future mental health counselors in training there to assist those in need. Welcome!
LJ Steele,MA Retired K12 Educator,Rowan/Salisbury Schools