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In January 2022, friends, family, and fans were shocked when Cheslie Kryst, a former Miss USA pageant winner, lawyer, and TV correspondent, took her own life. She was only 30 years old. Her death rocked our beliefs about who is at risk, upending the dominant narrative that those who die by their hand are primarily aging, isolated white men in the rural United States. A recent study found that between 1999 and 2020, the suicide rates of Black women ballooned by 62%. The most significant increase was with Black women and girls aged 15-24.
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There is no one cause of suicide, although many factors increase vulnerability. Sexual assault, racism, poverty, and emotional trauma are all associated with a greater risk of attempted or completed suicide. While eradicating the scourges of gender violence, interpersonal violence, and racism are generations away from being solved, therapy funds are doing their part to help Black women get vital treatment to help them process and heal from trauma. Therapy funds are financial resources designed to help individuals access mental health services, such as therapy or counseling. These funds address significant gaps in services for those in dire need of mental health support but lacking the financial resources to pay upfront.
The Loveland Therapy Fund (a project of the Loveland Foundation) is a nonprofit organization that provides financial assistance to Black women seeking counseling or psychotherapy. It does not provide direct services or official referrals. Still, through partnerships with national therapy-providing networks such as Therapy for Black Girls, National Queer & Trans Therapists of Color, and Open Path Collective, it provides women and nonbinary people of color with access to high-quality, culturally competent mental health services. Loveland began in 2018 as a GoFundMe birthday fundraiser by activist Rachel Cargle. She aimed to raise $100K to pay for as many therapy sessions for Black women as possible. Her crowdfunder blew through the goal, surpassing $250K in donations. Since her inaugural fundraiser, Loveland has helped over 18,500 people receive free and reduced-fee mental health counseling.
Another vital resource for free therapy is the BIPOC Therapy Fund, a project of the mental health service directory Inclusive Therapists. This fund serves individuals seeking support from therapists, counselors, and coaches specializing in racial justice, 2SLGBTQIA+ rights, neurodiversity, and disability justice. It provides free, quality mental health therapy from liberation-oriented, professionally licensed BIPOC mental health providers dedicated to achieving social justice and liberation in mental health care. Access to inclusive, culturally competent therapeutic services like those sponsored by the Loveland Therapy Fund and the BIPOC Therapy Fund are helping to break down access barriers in the Black community.
According to the American Psychological Association, only 4% of therapists in the United States are Black. The stigma around mental health and distrust of the healthcare system makes Black people less likely to seek help. Warning signs of an emotional crisis that may spiral into a suicide attempt can easily slip by friends and family struggling with their trauma. People may recognize that a loved one is distressed but lacks the financial resources to pay for treatment.
In 2023, the Loveland Therapy Fund made $3.2M in direct payments to therapists, translating into over 71,000 hours of culturally sensitive therapeutic services in one year alone. According to their website, the average cost of a therapy session ranges from $80 to $200. In an exclusive statement to MadameNoire, Sharlene Kemler, CEO of the Loveland Foundation, said, “With the high cost associated with therapy and the lack of insurance coverage for mental health, the Loveland Foundation is seen as a beacon of hope.”
Source: Courtesy of the Loveland Foundation
Applicants should note that processing times can take weeks. For this reason, Loveland asks that people not rely on it as a frontline resource for those experiencing suicidal ideation. Kemler continued, “Participants are covered on a first-come, first-served basis. We conduct four cohorts per year and try our best not to keep a participant on our waitlist for more than two months.”
Suicide is a complex problem that cannot be solved simply by a few sessions with a therapist. Often, people are wrestling with multiple stressors and traumas that they are too ashamed to admit. However, treatment combined with social support can help those struggling to keep their head above water. Cheslie died without leaving an explanation for why she ended her life. However, she did leave a note stating that she “wanted to leave everything to her mom” and asked her mother, April Simpkins, to publish the book she had finished writing.
Earlier this year, Cheslie’s memoir, co-authored by her mother, was released. “By the Time You Read This: The Space Between Cheslie’s Smile and Mental Illness–Her Story in Her Own Words” (Simon & Schuster) delves into a variety of subjects, such as the racism she experienced on the pageant circuit and her ongoing battle with depression. Picking up where Cheslie’s story ended, Simpkins opens up about what she experienced in the wake of her daughter’s suicide and gives hope to other families who’ve also gone through similar losses.
If you or someone you know needs immediate services, they should dial 988 for the Suicide and Crisis Lifeline. The Centers for Disease Control has a prevention resource that details ways people can help communities to reduce the rates of suicide. Providing greater accessibility to mental health services is one way to support a person in crisis.
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