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Nearly one in three of our Iowan neighbors needing mental health care cannot access it due to the cost. That’s why we’re raising funds to ensure finances are never a barrier to care!
Your generosity breaks down financial barriers by enabling us to provide counseling and substance abuse services to everyone regardless of their ability to pay. With your support, we can continue to offer a lifeline to Iowans in need.
As a nonprofit, the generosity of fellow mental health advocates enables us to offer our outpatient counseling program and substance abuse evaluations & treatment on a sliding-fee scale. Everyone has unique circumstances, and we believe finances should never interfere with health care. A sliding-fee scale means we adjust fees based on income to address income inequality and increase access to care.
Every gift we receive is significant in funding our efforts to support the mental health of our community. Below are optional donation levels. No amount is too small, and every dollar raised makes a difference in the thousands of lives we serve every year!
$1-25: Helps a low-income person struggling with addiction receive an assessment through
Substance Abuse Services (SAS) to access a treatment program.
$250: Supports EFR’s annual fundraiser Ride Don’t Hide (RDH), to benefit EFR’s counseling program and substance abuse services.
All donations are tax deductible as prescribed by law. Employee & Family Resources is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization.
Note: If you donate a gift of $100 or more, you will be listed in EFR’s annual report!
Stories of impact from the people we serve.
Click each picture to read their stories!
Derek’s career dissatisfaction is what led him to access EAP services. He contemplated seeking employment out of state but recognized this would mean uprooting his entire family. Such a significant decision felt paralyzing. With career and family considerations weighing heavy on his mind, he reached out to an EAP counselor to help him make sense of it all.
After her father’s death, Anna wrestled with grief, anxiety, and a storm of intense emotions that left her struggling to stay anchored. Recognizing she could not weather this loss alone, she sought support through EFR’s outpatient counseling.
Zoe, an elementary-aged student, was placed with foster parents during an active DHS case. Witnessing traumatic events and being separated from her biological parents fractured her sense of security and stability. After struggling to help Zoe through emotional outbursts, defiance, and trust issues, her foster parents sought outpatient counseling with EFR.
Whether you use your time, talent, or donations, you can make a difference this Giving Tuesday. Connect with us on social media, and check out a few simple ways to spread generosity online!
505 Fifth Avenue, Suite 600 Des Moines, IA 50309
6th floor of the Insurance Exchange Building in downtown Des Moines
800-327-4692
Counseling Services
1001 Office Park Rd, Suite 205
West Des Moines, IA 50265
2nd floor of the building
515-471-2357
The Healing Space
1001 Office Park Rd, Suite 209
West Des Moines, IA 50265
2nd floor of the building
515-471-2357
Monday 9:00 AM – 6:00 PM Tuesday 9:00 AM – 6:00 PM Wednesday 9:00 AM – 6:00 PM Thursday 9:00 AM – 6:00 PM Friday 9:00 AM – 4:30 PM
Employee Assistance Program (EAP)
Derek’s career dissatisfaction is what led him to access EAP services. He contemplated seeking employment out of state but recognized this would mean uprooting his entire family. Such a significant decision felt paralyzing. With career discontent and family considerations weighing heavy on his mind, Derek reached out to an EAP counselor to help him make sense of his emotions.
With the help of his counselor, Derek dug into the root of his job dissatisfaction. He uncovered what held him back from communicating his needs to his supervisor, with whom he shared a lot of trust. After using two of his six sessions, Derek dropped off without scheduling any additional appointments. Such an outcome isn’t unusual with EAP services – we don’t always know how things end up for the people we work alongside. But after a few months, Derek’s counselor received an unexpected message in her inbox. With his permission, the email stated in part:
I know it has been a while since we last visited, but I wanted to follow up and say a big thank you for listening as I processed some issues with my work life. You helped me clarify and address some really important points of stress in my job, and our conversations also helped me reinforce a set of boundaries and expectations in my work setting. As a result, I did make the decision to pursue other opportunities, but with patience and intentionality.
I suspect you may not hear from all of your clients about how you made a positive and lasting difference through your work. But please know I thought of our conversations often, and they guided me as I worked through some very significant discernment in my life. I am grateful for you!
Such updates are rare yet welcomed. They reinforce the essential role of our EAP; to listen and guide clients as they work on their timeline to make, sometimes significant, change.
Outpatient Counseling
After her father’s death, Anna wrestled with grief, anxiety, and a storm of intense emotions that left her struggling to stay anchored. Recognizing she could not weather this loss alone, she sought support through EFR’s outpatient counseling. With the help of her therapist, Anna uncovered the guilt and sorrow underlying her initial grief. Together they practiced methods to effectively combat the daily anxiety that frequented her life since her father’s passing.
Rather than suppressing or allowing intense emotions to consume her, Anna developed the skills to regulate them. She established stronger connections with her loved ones and learned how to communicate her needs in a way that allowed them to support her. With a healthy foundation of emotional regulation established, Anna is transitioning to less frequent sessions with her therapist. She continues to hone her abilities and takes steps each day to grow through her grief.
Outpatient Counseling
Zoe, an elementary-aged student, was placed with foster parents during an active DHS case. Witnessing traumatic events and being separated from her biological parents fractured her sense of security and stability. After struggling to help Zoe through emotional outbursts, defiance, and trust issues, her foster parents sought outpatient counseling with EFR.
Together they worked with a therapist using Parent-Child Interactive Therapy (PCIT). This intervention strengthens parent-child relationships and teaches caregivers constructive behavior management skills. Soon Zoe’s foster parents adopted her, officially welcoming her into their family.
Today, Zoe and her parents have successfully graduated from PCIT. Zoe navigates big emotions with more skill and continues to work with her therapist. Her parents learned the tools necessary to create structure and stability while working through misbehaviors. With the support of her new family, Zoe is developing close relationships built on love and trust.
Student Assistance Program (SAP) & Outpatient Counseling
Maddox*, an elementary-aged student, struggled with anger outbursts, physical aggression, and difficulties with problem-solving. After spending years off-and-on in therapy seeking treatment with various providers only to remark that “none seemed to want to listen,” Maddox’s parents sought SAP services through their district.
Today, Maddox is completing his SAP sessions and moving towards outpatient counseling. He has reduced his anger outbursts and has learned skills to help him successfully navigate challenging days.
