Heritage Florida Jewish News - Central Florida's Independent Jewish Voice

Recently there has been a great deal of news about the lack of available and affordable mental health services in Central Florida. JFS Orlando has been accepting insurance as well as offering a sliding fee scale throughout its history. Paneled by over 20 major insurance companies along with Medicare and Medicaid, JFS is able to provide broad accessibility to all those who seek life-changing mental health services.

More people have some form of coverage now than in the past and “we are seeing increased interest in utilizing those benefits to focus on self-care and personal growth. Medicare, for example, provides excellent coverage for counseling for older adults,” said Executive Director Philip Flynn. “In many cases, our clients who recently began utilizing Medicare for their services experienced a reduction or even total elimination of their out-of-pocket costs for service. Increasingly, we are receiving requests for service from a broader range of people, some of who are coming to JFS based on our inclusion in their insurance plan as well as our proximity to their home or work locations. We will continue to offer a sliding scale to ensure we can help anyone, regardless of their financial means.”

With the opiate explosion in Central Florida, JFS has been working with clients that suffer from substance abuse disorders and their families to address their concerns. Clinical Director Ashlyn Douglas-Barnes, MSW said “the number of people with opiode addiction seeking help has grown exponentially and, as with any addiction, the disease impacts and affects the individual as well as their family and friends. Our ability to treat the disease and its impact on our community is greatly assisted by making the treatment affordable. Through our insurance participation we can reach many more people.”

JFS Orlando has professional, licensed counselors and offers services in such areas as: addiction, adoption, anxiety, alcohol abuse, behavioral issues, bipolar disorder, career concerns, depression, divorce, grief, LGBTQ/AIAP+, LEO/First Responder Trauma, marital concerns, and Women’s Issues, to name just a few.

“Ensuring high-quality professional counseling is paramount to JFS Orlando’s mission,” said Flynn. “JFS is here to provide services to stabilize individuals and families in crisis and enhance the quality of life across generations to all members of the Central Florida community.”

For more information regarding the JFS Orlando Counseling program, please contact clinical director, Ashlyn Douglass-Barnes, LCSW at Ashlyn.Douglass-Barnes@JFSorlando.org or 407-644-7593 ext. 301.