Valour Foundation Supports DePelchin Children’s Center with a $3 Million Grant to Expand Mental Health Services in Greater Houston

[Houston, 11^th September 2023] — The Valour Foundation is delighted to announce a $3 million grant to DePelchin Children’s Center, aimed at significantly expanding access to vital counseling services for children and adults in the Greater Houston area. This three-year commitment reflects the Valour Foundation’s unwavering dedication to enhancing the mental wellness of individuals and communities, with a special focus on addressing the needs of under-resourced populations seeking mental health services.

In partnership with DePelchin Children’s Center, the Valour Foundation seeks to make an impact on the lives of at least 1,000’s of individuals who may otherwise face challenges accessing the critical help they require. This substantial investment will bolster DePelchin’s comprehensive approach, which includes school-based counseling, office-based and virtual counseling, as well as crisis counseling and triage services. The primary goal is to reduce wait times and ensure essential care is readily available to those in need.

Dr. Beth Yudofsky, Director of the Valour Foundation, expressed the Foundation’s enthusiasm for this collaboration, stating, “We are deeply moved by the impact DePelchin Children’s Center has on mental health in Greater Houston. This grant reflects our commitment to reducing mental health stigmas and serving under-resourced communities. Together with DePelchin, we are working towards a future where mental health support is readily accessible to all who need it.”

DePelchin Children’s Center will utilize the Valour Foundation grant to advance their multi-faceted approach to serving under-resourced children and families grappling with untreated mental health conditions:

• School-Based Counseling: DePelchin will extend its program by embedding professional counselors in schools with a high proportion of under-resourced students. This expansion will provide services to new schools, serving an estimated 120 additional students annually.

• Office-Based and Virtual Counseling: DePelchin will deploy additional professional counselors in communities with unmet needs while also expanding virtual counseling options. This initiative will enable them to serve 200 new families in the first year and 230 families in the subsequent two years.

• Crisis Counseling and Triage: To meet the high demand for its no-cost, high-quality counseling services, DePelchin will establish a call-in assessment center with support from the Valour Foundation. This expansion aims to reduce wait times significantly, with the goal of offering same-day or next-day appointments, ultimately resulting in a 50% reduction in wait times.

“In Greater Houston, DePelchin’s name is synonymous with high-quality mental health services, especially for children who have experienced the trauma of abuse or neglect, and for families whose mental health issues threaten their ability to stay together,” said Jenifer Jarriel, President and CEO of DePelchin Children’s Center. “Our vision is that of a world in which every child is safe and healthy, and this generous investment from the Valour Foundation will help us realize that vision by working with children and families who are under-resourced in regard to addressing mental health.”

This funding arrives at a moment of tremendous need. Nationally, Texas ranks last in access to mental health services. As recently as 2021, more than 50% of Texas’ children diagnosed with mental illness received no treatment, according to the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration. Additionally, the Kinder Institute at Rice University’s comprehensive needs assessment of Houston ISD’s students, parents, and teachers in November 2022 identified improving access to mental health services as a top recommendation. School staff and parents both highlighted cost and knowledge about where to find services as primary barriers to accessing help.

About DePelchin Children’s Center:

DePelchin Children’s Center has been serving children and families in the Houston area since its founding in 1892. DePelchin offers a diverse array of services for families with dual goals of preventing child maltreatment from ever occurring and healing the trauma from child maltreatment if it does occur. Programs include parental skill building, counseling, navigation services, foster care, residential care, and adoption. In addition to the range of services it provides in the Houston area, DePelchin also serves children and families in the communities of Austin, Lubbock, and San Antonio.