The Michigan School Psychological Clinic (MSPC) is thrilled to announce our partnership with the Southern Smoke Foundation (SSF) to bring their Behind You program to Michigan. In its fifth year, Behind You offers no-cost mental health services to food and beverage industry workers through partnerships with mental health clinics that are affiliated with institutions of higher education. As a partner clinic, up to 20 psychotherapy sessions at the MSPC will be provided to Behind You clients at no cost. We are pleased to offer these services both in-person at the MSPC or via tele-health to ensure they are available to food and beverage workers all over Michigan.
“We see the partnership with the ‘Behind You’ program as an honor and an opportunity for the Clinic. The program’s expansion into Michigan will allow us to reach out specifically to members of our state’s food and beverage industry. Our fifteen 2025-2026 students will receive significant benefits from working with the ‘Behind You’ program. In addition to learning first-hand how the program works, they will directly treat the individuals who take part in psychotherapy services,” said Clinic Director, Dr. Jim Maher, about the beginning of the partnership.
Founded by James Beard Award-winning Chef Chris Shepherd and Lindsey Brown, SSF has supported the industry since 2015, providing more than 8,100 no-cost counseling sessions and over $14.5M in emergency relief to food and beverage workers nationwide. This includes restaurant, bar, and cafe workers; farmers and ranchers; winemakers, distillers, and brewers; and anyone in the industry faced with hardship. Michigan is now the 13th state to join the Behind You program, bringing essential mental health care to this essential, yet extremely vulnerable, oft-overlooked population.
Learn more about the Behind You program at the MSPC.
Learn more about SSF and how to apply for the Behind You program.