KNOXVILLE, Tenn. — Anyone struggling to find affordable mental health care has a chance to connect with a professional through a partnership between Knox Pride and the University of Tennessee Psychological Clinic.
Knox Pride said it is starting its second year of offering free mental health care for the community. Anyone can apply for mental health care and have the costs covered by a grant program with the clinic. Applicants do not need to have insurance.
Knox Pride said it is offering applicants eight free therapy sessions, with the possibility to expand. It is also offering free psychological testing and assessments for mental health disorders or learning disabilities.
The application asks basic questions such as a person's name, phone number, email and why they are seeking mental health care — similar to forms people would fill out when starting therapy at a conventional therapist's office. Knox Pride said on the application form that it is working to make sure people who are part of marginalized communities have a chance to get the services. It also asked applicants to give them five business days to respond.
Knox Pride helped 145 community members get mental health care in the fall of 2023 and said it hopes to help more people this year. Anyone under 18 years old will need to get the consent of their parent or guardian for treatment, however.
The application went live on Oct. 11 and is available online.
