CAPE GIRARDEAU – The Community Counseling Center (CCC) has unveiled a new action plan aimed at improving mental health and substance use services for residents of Southeast Missouri. Following the completion of its 2024 Behavioral Health Community Needs Assessment, CCC has outlined key priorities for improving access to care and enhancing services across a five-county region (Bollinger, Cape Girardeau, Madison, Perry, and Ste. Genevieve).
The assessment, a comprehensive undertaking involving extensive data collection, surveys, focus groups, and community engagement, revealed critical needs within the region.
The key priorities outlined in this action plan represent areas where Community Counseling Center has the expertise and capacity to make immediate and significant strides in improving behavioral health services for our community. The secondary priorities will require strong partnerships with other agencies and organizations to effectively address these complex challenges.
Key Priorities:
- Youth Substance Use Treatment
- Preventing Youth Suicide
- Breaking Down Barriers / Community Education
- Integrated Primary and Behavioral Health Care
Addressing Critical Needs:
Based on these findings, CCC has developed a three-year action plan (2025-2027) that focuses on:
- Expanding youth substance use treatment services. CCC has developed new positions aimed at addressing substance use. Now youth and adults can access substance use treatment through CCC without having a cooccurring mental health condition in all five counties.
- Implementing early intervention. CCC will explore grant and other funding opportunities to support early intervention services.
- Increasing collaboration with schools and juvenile justice systems to provide more efficient care coordination and to promote awareness regarding available services.
- Assist local schools, interested in the Hope Squad initiative, with initial funding and implementation support.
- Offering suicide prevention training to school personnel, parents, and caregivers.
- Promoting CCC’s Community Education platform to increase awareness and reduce stigma.
- Starting a Regional Health & Wellness Conference.
- Collaborating with primary care providers to improve care coordination and potential integration opportunities.
Addressing Secondary Needs:
The action plan also addresses secondary needs, including:
- Transportation: Collaborating with community partners to address transportation services to ensure clients can easily access care.
- Housing: Collaborating with community partners to address the interconnected issues of homelessness and housing instability, which can significantly impact mental health.
- Expanding Services within the Jail Setting: Increasing access to mental health services for individuals within the jail system, promoting mental well-being and reducing recidivism.
- Enhancing Care for Older Adults: Developing specialized geriatric mental health services to address the unique needs of older adults.
Wendy Ice, CEO of Community Counseling Center, stated: “This assessment provides a crucial roadmap for addressing the pressing behavioral health needs of our community. By focusing on these key priorities and working collaboratively with our partners, we can create a more supportive and resilient Southeast Missouri for all.”
About Community Counseling Center
Founded in 1974, Community Counseling Center (CCC) is a non-profit organization dedicated to providing high-quality mental health services to individuals and families in southeast Missouri. CCC offers a wide range of services including therapy, psychiatry, crisis intervention, and support programs, serving over 7,000 people annually.