For more than five decades, The Counseling Center in Alamogordo has provided mental and behavioral health services in Lincoln and Otero counties. Founded in 1971, the nonprofit is one of the oldest service providers in Southern New Mexico, and helps individuals and families navigate some of life’s toughest obstacles.
Among the center’s many services are substance-use treatment, medication management, telehealth, youth programs, in-home family support, child-abuse prevention and family reunification services. The organization also provides community education and overdose-prevention training.
“We are helping people who are dealing with challenges in their lives,” CEO Kim Richards said. “That’s why we have a number of support services. We don’t just provide counseling. We can walk with someone from the counseling side to other services they may need.”
Richards, who will celebrate 30 years with the center in December and is now in her fifth year as CEO, said the center served 1,000 behavioral health clients last year alone. The organization works with people experiencing mental health concerns, family instability, housing insecurity and other difficult circumstances. Referrals come from the New Mexico Children, Youth and Families Department, schools, community organizations and other service providers. Individuals and families may also contact the organization directly.
Long-standing relationships with schools, healthcare providers, government agencies and community organizations help The Counseling Center connect clients with additional resources. The nonprofit also serves as the fiscal agent for the Otero County Health Council, working with the New Mexico Department of Health to identify local health needs and provide community feedback.
Another important part of its work is the Otero County Overdose Prevention Program. The Counseling Center provides free naloxone, commonly known by the brand name Narcan, as well as training for individuals, school and hotel employees, community organizations and others who may encounter someone experiencing an opioid overdose.
Providing behavioral health and family services in a rural area brings distinct challenges. Although the need for care remains high, recruiting and retaining qualified employees can be difficult. Larger organizations based in Albuquerque, El Paso and other metropolitan areas sometimes enter rural communities and offer salaries that smaller local providers cannot match.
“The Loan Fund was very understanding about how nonprofits operate,” Richards said. “Our funding sources ebb and flow, and many of them operate within the same fiscal year.”
“There are plenty of clients and plenty of need,” Richards said. “The challenge is finding and keeping the people who can provide the services.”
For community-based nonprofits, cash flow presents another challenge. The center receives funding through several state contracts and insurance providers, but payments do not always arrive when services are delivered.
A state contract, for example, may end with the fiscal year on June 30. The center, which has 24 employees, does not stop helping families while it waits for a renewed contract to be processed. Insurance reimbursements can also arrive three to five months after services are provided.
“You know the new contract is coming, but it may not arrive until August or September,” Richards said. “You continue providing services and paying your staff, but you may not be able to invoice until the contract is finalized. By then, you may have already covered several payrolls.”
The organization began looking for financing that could provide support during these reimbursement delays. When Richards learned about The Loan Fund, she found a lender that understood the realities of nonprofit financing.
“The Loan Fund was very understanding about how nonprofits operate,” Richards said. “Our funding sources ebb and flow, and many of them operate within the same fiscal year.”
The Loan Fund refinanced the center’s mortgage, reducing its monthly payments and providing additional working capital. It also supplied a line of credit to bridge the gap between program expenses and reimbursements from the New Mexico Department of Health.
Richards said The Loan Fund’s support has extended beyond the financing itself.
“They have been willing and open to supporting us—not just financially,” she said. “When there has been something they could review or help us understand in the financial realm, they have been there.”