To kick off Mental Health Awareness Month, Southern Smoke Foundation (SSF), a leading nonprofit organization dedicated to providing emergency relief funds nationwide and access to mental health services for food and beverage workers (F+B), is thrilled to announce that it's launching its Behind You mental health program as a pilot in South Carolina this summer in partnership with University of South Carolina.
SSF is providing a grant to University of South Carolina’s Psychology Services Center to provide no-cost counseling to F+B workers across South Carolina through the Behind You program. A Behind You grant covers the cost of counseling for F+B workers who qualify through the SSF website and allows student clinicians to diversify their training by seeing a community of seasoned F+B workers with various backgrounds. A licensed clinical supervisor and the university program director supervise all student clinicians. In addition, SSF requires university partners to provide telehealth services to increase accessibility for workers with demanding schedules or living in rural areas with limited access to in-person services. The initial grant will be for a pilot program with plans to expand services in 2025.
"The University of South Carolina Psychology Department is thrilled to be able to provide evidence-based therapy services to our food and beverage workers across the state and unique training experiences for a graduate student clinician,” Stephen Taylor, PhD, Director of the Psychology Services Center at University of South Carolina. “Better yet, our partnership with the Southern Smoke Foundation will allow us to do this at no cost to the clients as their Behind You program will provide financial support for our student clinician."
Southern Smoke Foundation is looking forward to increasing its impact in South Carolina by offering the opportunity to receive no-cost counseling through the Behind You program to South Carolina F+B workers. SSF has been serving the South Carolina F+B community through its Emergency Relief Fund program since 2017 and has distributed $74,286 in grants to help lift workers out of crisis. In partnership with University of South Carolina, Southern Smoke Foundation is projected to provide access to more than 200 no-cost counseling sessions to F+B workers in this pilot year.
Since Behind You launched in 2020, SSF has provided access to more than 5,100 counseling sessions at no cost to F+B workers, and they’re not hanging up the apron now. To drive awareness and funds to support Behind You, SSF is launching a “Million for Mental Health” campaign on May 1, in tandem with Mental Health Awareness Month. It will cost SSF roughly $1 Million annually to sustain programs in California, Illinois, Louisiana, New York, and Texas, as well as expand to Maine, Massachusetts, Tennessee, Washington D.C. and Virginia, in addition to South Carolina this summer. This nationwide campaign will directly support the continued growth of the program with the goal of raising $1 Million by the end of the year. Local James Beard Award-winning chef and owner Mike Lata of FIG stands behind SSF and is showcasing a specialty cocktail that will donate $1 to the Million for Mental Health campaign for every drink ordered.
“Finally, the stigma around mental health is fading. More than ever, we have champions and role models showing us that it’s ok to ask for help to navigate many of life’s challenges,” Chef Lata said. “Thanks to Southern Smoke, food and beverage workers throughout South Carolina now have a clear, no-cost path to getting assistance in their pursuit for mental wellness."
Southern Smoke Foundation has been instrumental in providing more than $11.7 million in emergency relief grants to F+B workers. SSF aims to alleviate the financial and emotional burdens individuals in the F+B community face due to unforeseen crises, medical emergencies, or natural disasters. F+B workers experiencing an unforeseen hardship can apply to receive an Emergency Relief Grant here, and F+B workers residing in California, Illinois, Louisiana, Maine, Massachusetts, New York, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Virginia, and Washington D.C who are interested in receiving no-cost counseling can apply for Behind You here. Those who live outside of the Behind You service states can apply for financial assistance to cover mental health care needs through the Emergency Relief Fund. The Behind You program wouldn’t be possible without Love, Tito’s, Elijah Craig, Restaurant Giving Circle, and Athletic Brewing. To support SSF and learn more, visit https://southernsmoke.org.
