Millions of American teenagers suffer from mental health obstacles, and getting help can sometimes feel out of reach. William Mount, a first-year student at the University of Virginia, understands that reality firsthand.
Having struggled nearly his entire life with stuttering and mental health, Mount is familiar with the challenges depression presents. While he was able to receive treatment for his stutter and depression, he knows that isn’t always the case.
“Despite the essentiality of mental health care, there are often waitlists up to six months long. After getting past those, the cost of weekly sessions can total thousands of dollars a month,” Mount said.
He said depression is an ongoing battle that waits for nothing, and “it affects kids and teens like (himself) to their core.” Inspired by his experiences and his mother’s nonprofit stemming from her breast cancer journey, .
Mount says he has found nonprofit work to be particularly gratifying and is eager to expand the scope of Free2Talk. (Photo by Matt Riley, University Communications)
Founded in fall 2022, Free2Talk is a nonprofit organization that subsidizes speech and mental health therapy for Virginians ages 6-19. Many of the families it serves don’t have health insurance, face out-of-network restrictions, or have deductibles so high that coverage is out of reach. Free2Talk works to bridge the gap between patients and a network of providers, covering up to 80% of treatment costs for up to 16 sessions.
Since its founding in 2022 and its collaboration with 鶹ƽ more than a year ago, Free2Talk has helped almost 50 patients, nearly a dozen of them from the Charlottesville community, totaling over 500 hours and nearly $50,000 in subsidized speech and mental health therapy.
“The SCJ collaboration has been amazing in achieving our goal of spreading Free2Talk’s mission across Virginia,” Mount said. Many of the patients who start using the Johnson Center’s services ultimately choose other providers in nearby communities, allowing Free2Talk to reach beyond the UVA community.
Securing fundraising partners has been the toughest challenge for Mount. In the beginning, he relied on word-of-mouth donations and small fundraisers to cover patients’ therapy costs. Media attention has helped expand awareness and attract donors.
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