Simple Steps Solutions Inc. is a pilot program of the Rotary Club of Knox, created for the sole purpose of providing funding for mental health counselling in the Knox area.
The organisation is for people who live, work or study in the City of Knox and would benefit from having access to counselling. It is for those who are unable to access government services or cannot afford to consult private practitioners.
The pilot program will be operated in association with Headspace Knox. Headspace Identifies a young person who meets the above criteria and helps the client select the most appropriate counsellor from a list of participating counsellors, supplied by Simple Steps. They then make a referral, and the client arranges an appointment time with the selected counsellor. If the referral is not suitable, another counsellor is negotiated. The counsellor then sends their account to Simple Steps Solutions Inc.
The client is not expected to make any financial contribution. The desirable numbers of sessions are worked out between the counsellor and client. However, if this turns out to be more than six, the arrangement will need to be reviewed.
“The program aims to achieve better mental health for individuals and therefore the community overall, shorten the waiting time for services, and reduce pressure on professionals.”
At no stage will Simple Steps be told the name of the client or other personal information. They will keep only basic data, for example, age range or gender of clients to help with forward planning.
The program aims to achieve better mental health for individuals and therefore the community overall, shorten the waiting time for services, and reduce pressure on professionals.
Initially, this program it is being funded by the Rotary Club of Knox, district grants, and Knox City Council. However, Simple Step Solutions Inc. has been registered as a charity and will need to seek and encourage further donations if it is to continue.
Individuals and companies can take a simple step and make a difference to the lives of others by supporting Simple Step Solutions with a donation. All such donations will go directly to supporting the counselling services. Donations can be made via the Rotary Club of Knox and donations over $2 are tax deductible. Donations can also be made directly to Simple Steps Solutions Inc, however, during this pilot stage these are not tax deductible.