Southern Smoke Foundation Expands Mental Health Program

Southern Smoke Foundation (SSF), the Houston-based nonprofit organization dedicated to assisting professionals in the food and beverage space — such as providing much-needed emergency relief funds and mental health assistance — is expanding its mental health program, Behind You.    

Launched in 2020 at the height of the pandemic, Behind You services five states — California, Illinois, Louisiana, New York, and Texas — by partnering with accredited university clinical programs to extend 20 completely free counseling services to qualifying hospitality workers. (To be eligible, individuals must have worked in the industry for six consecutive months, clocking in at least 30 hours a week.)

Beyond that, participants who “graduate” and want to extend their sessions beyond the program are afforded counseling at a sliding scale rate that ranges from $10 to $25 per visit — for life. A massive help to an industry notorious for its lack of healthcare benefits (or living wages). 

And now, SSF’s work is extending its reach to Washington D.C., in addition to five more states on the East Coast: Maine, Massachusetts, Tennessee, South Carolina, and Virginia. Since Behind You’s launch, SSF has provided more than 4,800 sessions, conducted by PhD candidates, with much success. So far, 322 food and beverage professionals have enrolled in the program since early 2023 — and out of that, 61% have either completed or are on the path to completion. 

“Our student clinicians jump at the chance to work with Southern Smoke clients,” said Hope Dawan, an administrative coordinator and instructor of Psychological Services Center at Louisiana State University — a Behind You partner. “The clients referred by Southern Smoke consistently attend counseling week after week, and more often than not, they stay on after they have completed the program.”

This year, SSF is launching yet another initiative for Mental Health Awareness Month: the Million for Mental Health campaign, which aims to raise $1 million by the end of 2024 to support Behind You’s expansion.

“It’s really neat that Southern Smoke has decided to provide grants to university clinical programs to offer counseling for food and beverage workers at no cost,” Patricia Yabu, director of community counseling services at Cal Lutheran University — also an accredited Behind You partner — said in a statement. “It’s a model that works for many reasons: It offers a diverse population of clients for our student clinicians to learn from, and since it is a learning environment, the client receives a very high level of care and attention since all student clinicians are seen under a licensed supervisor.”