Family Resource Centre forced to close low-cost counselling scheme

Trim Family Resource Centre has been forced to close its low-cost counselling scheme due to lack of funding.
Trim FRC co-ordinator Susan Keogh said demand for the service has been so great in Trim and surrounding areas in 2018 that it exceeded the funds available from TUSLA to run the centre and the scheme has had to be closed until further funding become available.
“Our low cost counselling in Trim FRC allows adults and children in Trim and South Meath access to professional counselling at a reduced rate of €20 per session with the remaining costs covered by TUSLA funding. 

Although Trim FRC managed to secure additional funding in previous years, this has not been an option in 2018 due to funding streams no longer focusing on direct services,” she said.
So far in 2018, 23 adults, and seven children, have availed of the service in Trim FRC. Last year a total of 54 people accessed the service.
Trim FRC, which is based in Mornington Drive, cannot run a waiting list as they have no way of knowing when they can provide the service again. It is likely to be next May before they are in a position to re-open the scheme, unless extra funding is made available.

They had managed to keep the scheme afloat up to this but any funding they could manage to access has been used up at this stage. They have sought support from local businesses but haven't had success so far in obtaining funding to start it up again.
Eight sessions of low cost counselling are provided as part of the scheme. Those already on it will be able to continue until their eight sessions are used up but Trim FRC cannot accept any more people.
Trim FRC has welcomed the nine per cent increase in funding for mental health services under budget 2019 and hope that it will be used to fund schemes like this. They are appealing for more funding to be made available so that vulnerable people who cannot afford to pay full price for sessions have access to this much needed service in Trim and south Meath.

**CLARIFICATION** In this week's print edition of the Meath Chronicle, our headline stated the Trim Family Resource Centre was forced to close its doors. It is only the low-cost counselling service it operates that is affected and the Centre is running as normal. We apologise to the TFRC and anyone affected by this error and will carry the clarification in our next print edition also.