Mosaic Counseling is a non-profit organization serving the mental health needs of Ottawa County through accessible, affordable, professional counseling, by connecting individuals to personalized therapy in their time of need. Mosaic is currently providing Ottawa County with professional outpatient therapy, a School Outreach Program in 27 schools (in-school therapy that is free to 100’s of students each year), suicide prevention training, mental health education, and an employee assistance program (EAP) to businesses and school districts.

Throughout the years, our organization has been uplifted and supported by community involvement. Whether people volunteer for Mosaic, attend one of our fundraisers, donate, or help share our message, Mosaic benefits. 30% of our revenue comes from our three annual fundraisers.  Most of us have been touched by mental health issues in our lives. Nearly 50 million Americans are currently experiencing a mental illness.[1] When our community gets involved, it helps to remove mental health stigma and create open and honest conversations about the importance of receiving help when you need it most.

May is Mental Health Awareness Month. What inspired this organization? At Mosaic, our commitment to changing the way that mental health services are delivered started a long time ago. The accessibility and affordability of treatment options for mental health services is disproportionate to the drastic rise in the number of persons struggling with mental health issues. We believe that every individual deserves access to quality mental health services, regardless of their insurance status. The difficulty of seeking professional mental health services in a time of need is amplified by the uncertainty of insurance status, finances, transportation, wait time, location, or finding the right therapist. According to the American Psychological Association, 60% of psychologists were reporting no openings for new patients, and more than 40% were carrying waiting lists of 10 or more patients.[2] By removing these barriers, we help connect clients to help when they need it most.

We have significantly expanded our impact, now serving the entirety of Ottawa County from just the Tri-Cities area. Our innovative approach to mental health services has led to a growth from 13-panel therapists in 2005 to 240 in 2024. This vast network of licensed professionals enables Mosaic to swiftly match clients with therapists who meet the client’s specific needs.\

Access to numerous therapists helped establish the School Outreach Program, which currently delivers therapy that is free to hundreds of students each year. The most recent Ottawa County Youth Assessment Survey concluded that the proportion of teens reporting mental health challenges remains at some of the highest levels since 2012.[3] By eliminating financial, transportation, and wait-time obstacles, Mosaic effectively provided essential mental health services to Ottawa County youth providing 4,451 therapy sessions that were free to students during the 2022/23 school year. This includes Spring Lake Public Schools and the West Michigan Academy of Arts and Academics.  This school year, we added Walden Green.  

Additionally, we have educated over 11,000 individuals in QPR (Question, Persuade, Refer) Suicide Prevention Training, and are currently in collaboration with the Tri-Cities Family YMCA and Ottawa County Community Mental Health, offering free monthly sessions at the Tri-Cities Family YMCA.

I am so grateful that I was asked 20 years ago to be the interim executive director of Mosaic Counseling (then Tri-Cities Ministries) while being a panel therapist. I knew quickly that leading Mosaic was where I was supposed to be. Watching this agency grow and expand services to the magnitude that Mosaic has done has been incredible. The most rewarding part though is that the more Mosaic expands, the more people are helped. Mosaic is truly unique. We have 10 dedicated staff, 240 compassionate therapists, a hard-working board, and thousands of supporters. Every person who reaches out to Mosaic for professional counseling is special to us. It has been my honor to be involved in Mosaic’s story.

 

We have our fourth annual Caddyshack-themed golf outing; Gophers for Good: Scramble Fore Mental Wellness, on June 24th at Macatawa Golf Club. This fundraiser is a great opportunity to play the beautiful private Holland course while helping to raise funds for Mosaic Counseling’s mission.  To enter a team or become a sponsor, visit our website www.mosaiccounseling.com

 

We wrap up our year with our annual fashion show; An Evening at Tiffany’s, a glamorous event involving the collaboration of everyone’s favorite downtown Grand Haven stores. This elegant fundraiser will be held at Central Park Place on November 7th, 2024.