2020
This is the time of year when we often find ourselves reflecting on the previous twelve months and begin to look toward the next twelve. We are all aware of the trauma that has impacted our collective experiences during 2020—and that said, this trauma is not over. 2020 will mark the deadliest year in the United States’ history with more than 400,000 more people dead than in 2019. Not only have so many family members, friends, and neighbors died; millions of us have been without a steady source of income, food, housing, and healthcare. Millions of children have had to say goodbye to classmates, teachers, and so much that represented security, safety, and predictability. As one child told me, “I don’t like saying that word…” then proceeded to spell: “….C-O-V-I-D dash 1-9…”
“I don’t like saying that word… C-O-V-I-D dash 1-9…”
While in past years, we would be reflecting on the stress, the sacrifice, and the amazing reward of building Foundations. Words cannot describe the rollercoaster of emotion one rides while working to building something like this. The end result has been truly amazing—we get to work with the smartest and the kindest people in our communities. That’s you! This year however, all the successes and triumphs are muted with the weight of all that is 2020. This is trauma, both first-hand and vicarious, especially for those of us in these helping professions. This trauma helps to put the difficulties of growing a practice such as Foundations gravely in perspective: There is still so much more to get done.
Foundations has changed remarkably over the course of 2020. While being founded in one tiny office in 2018, we processed more than half a million dollars in business just two years later for all of 2020. Nearly $350,000 was paid to clinicians during this year. This is more than a 400% increase from 2019. Fifteen providers served nearly 800 clients in 2020. As we become more established, the name ‘Foundations’ is representing healing, growth, and empowerment in our communities thanks to our awesome providers as well as to amazing partnerships with CHAS and Lilac City Billing Services LLC.
Over the course of 2020, we began offering telehealth. This subsequently launched Melissa Rockwell, LMHC into taking lead with these operations and our role supporting her to become a qualified supervisor. We also opened offices in Cheney, WA marking our first efforts to build multiple locations. We also welcomed amazing new providers: Shoba Nishek, MSW, James Taylor, MS, Christie Ray, MS, Karryn Satchell, MS, Paden Vance, MA, Kellie Anderson, MSW, and Jenny Robinson, MSW. Also, we were forced to implement a change in how providers are paid in June of 2020. This was a very difficult decision to make. This change was even harder on our providers and it is my hope that it was for the best. Thank you so much for your patience with Jarrod and I during this as well.
Looking at 2021:
While the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic will take years and years to fully comprehend, I am cautiously optimistic for 2021. Our plans include opening new offices in the Northside of Spokane as well as beginning to support a location near Sarasota, Florida with efforts led by Jennifer Anderson, MA. We are hopeful and planning for the eventuality of operating within a Single Payer health insurance environment as well. We are continuing to expand telehealth operations in efforts to promote health/safety/freedom of our providers as well as to offer options to those in vastly underserved rural areas. In addition, we are planning to send our consumers a survey to seek areas we can improve or streamline our efforts. Ideas of starting virtual group work is also bringing us hope for the new year. We are so grateful to our providers who have been with us from the beginning as well and are so excited to continue to support you all in all the good work you do. Thank you.
According to the numbers, Foundations has had a wonderful year of growth and prosperity in 2020 for which we are truly grateful. The trauma of the past year has helped to place this into a healthy perspective as well. Our rapid growth and the outlook for even more to come drive home a bleak reality—There is just so much hurt and need for healing in our communities. Our dual realities are: 1) We hope for continued growth in empowering providers to take charge of building their independent practices in a supportive and caring network serving more and more people in need, and 2) We are working toward a future that will no longer need a Foundations Family Support in its current form.
To each and every one of you who make us who we are— please keep taking good care of yourselves and reach out for any support we can offer. Thank you for all you do and Happy New Year to you and your families.
Trevor and Jarrod