Sometimes the bravest words a parent can say are, “I don’t know what to do.”
Behind closed doors across Georgia, mothers and fathers are sitting at kitchen tables late at night, searching for answers. They are trying to calm anxious children. They are navigating trauma they never imagined their family would face. They are making phone calls, leaving voicemails, filling out forms for waiting lists, and praying someone will call them back.
In Georgia today, too many families are navigating through severe mental and behavioral health challenges alone.
Our state consistently ranks near the bottom in access to mental health care. In many counties, there simply are not enough providers. Long waitlists stretch for months. Specialized care, especially for children navigating trauma, autism, ADHD, anxiety, or depression, are out of reach for families with limited resources.
At Wellroot, we see these families. We sit with them in the hard moments. We hear the exhaustion in their voices and the love beneath it. And because of that, we are grateful to share hopeful news.
Wellroot has expanded our Behavioral Health Services and is now a Core 2 Medicaid provider, increasing access to critical mental health support for children and families across Georgia.
The Need We Encounter Every Day
We see children in foster care working through unimaginable trauma who cannot find therapists trained in trauma-informed care.
We see young moms in our Healthy Families program quietly battling postpartum depression while caring for a newborn without family support.
We see teens aging out of foster care carrying years of instability and rejection who cannot access consistent counseling.
And we see parents doing everything they can to hold their families together while their child sits on a waiting list.
In 2021, Wellroot launched Functional Family Therapy, an evidence-based model designed to help families in crisis strengthen communication, reduce conflict, and build healthier patterns of connection.
Since then, we have watched families rebuild trust. We have seen parents grow more confident. We have witnessed teens find their voice. Families who once felt stuck in cycles of chaos now have practical tools for problem-solving and emotional regulation.
Most importantly, they remain together and move forward with renewed hope.
But we have also learned something important.
For some children, family therapy is only the beginning.
Some need one-on-one counseling to process trauma more deeply. Some need psychiatric evaluation and medication management. Some need specialized therapeutic care for anxiety, depression, or self-harm.
A Mother’s Hope
Sara’s* story reflects this reality.
After years of watching her daughter struggle socially and emotionally, Sara’s mother finally received clarity when her daughter was diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder at age 10. As she grew older, bullying and isolation began to erode her confidence and mental health.
Her mother asked for help.
But help was not easy to find.
Because her daughter was on the autism spectrum, she needed a therapist trained in both autism and trauma. She waited nearly a year for appropriate care. During that time, crises escalated. Her daughter began harming herself. The fear inside their home grew heavier.
“It was extremely difficult to get Sara help,” her mother shared. “Just getting her evaluated for autism took nearly 10 months, and I had to drive an hour and a half each way. When she began harming herself, we were still waiting.”
Because Sara is on the autism spectrum, she needed a therapist trained in both autism and trauma. She was placed on a waiting list in fall 2023 and did not secure consistent care until early 2025. Nearly a year passed before she received the support she needed.”
Today, after receiving one-on-one therapy through a hospital and family support through Wellroot, there is healing. Communication has improved. Stability has grown.
And at the heart of it all is a mother’s prayer. “I want my daughter to have the full life she deserves.”
That is what every parent wants.
Why This Expansion Matters
Sara’s story is not rare.
Across Georgia, families are waiting. Without timely support, trauma deepens. Anxiety escalates. Parents feel isolated.
By expanding our Behavioral Health Services and becoming a Core 2 Medicaid provider, Wellroot can respond sooner and more comprehensively. We can provide individual counseling, psychiatric services, and evidence-based therapy without financial barriers for families who qualify for Medicaid.
We believe mental health care is not a luxury. It is essential to restoring children and strengthening families.
As followers of Christ, we are called to step into suffering with compassion and courage. Expanding these services is one way we live out that calling.
Because of your faithful support, more families will hear a different message when they reach out for help. They will hear, “You are not alone.”
To learn more about Wellroot’s expanded Behavioral Health Services, visit Behavioral Health – Wellroot Family Services
Our long-term goal is that no child in crisis waits months for help and no parent walks through trauma alone. As we expand access to care, we remain rooted in our mission to restore children and families from trauma through Jesus Christ.
Help us bring hope closer to home.
*Name changed to protect privacy.
