As mental health continues to fill headlines and be a growing concern for many, Pawnee Mental Health Services continues to provide for the Manhattan area.
One of the largest fundraisers for Pawnee Mental Health wrapped up earlier this month with the Pancakes for Pawnee event. Cole says this was their fourth annual event and it was a perfect day for the event. She said the weather cooperated and drew in a large crowd.
“It was a lot of fun, it really was. It was good to see, you know, so many people who have been out every year, folks who this has just become an annual tradition for them. Some people for whom this was the very first time for them and they were really glad to learn about it, and some people who just saw the sign when they were driving by Early Edition and decided to stop in.”
She said they served 471 pancakes during the event, and that was in just 2.5 hours. She added that she can’t thank the sponsors enough.
“Those funds help us provide mental health services for people who don’t have health insurance and who don’t have the ability to pay for services, and that’s never been more important as it is right now.”
Cole, says they are lucky to have such great support from the community and from several sponsors to make their mission possible. She talks more about the process of getting help for those who don’t have insurance.
“We get information about their family size and about their income, and so, we have a sliding fees scale that’s based on federal poverty guidelines and that sliding fees scale takes into consideration how many people are in the household and what the household’s annual income is. Then, depending on where they fall on those federal poverty guidelines, we establish then a fee for the services for them to pay.”
She says they then can work with individuals to make payment plans as well.
“Some individuals, even under those circumstances, may have difficulty making those payments as they go.”
Cole adds that for those that do have health insurance, Pawnee Mental Health does accept most commercial insurances.
To learn more about their services, visit pawnee.org.
