Local fundraiser supports mental health treatment for people who lack insurance

ROCHESTER, N.Y. — The Spiritus Christi Mental Health Center hosted its annual Riverwalk Fundraiser on Sunday.

The center is one of the few places in the region where people who lack insurance coverage can get free mental health counseling and participate in wellness activities such as yoga.

People gathered at the celebration hall at Spiritus Christi Church on Fitzhugh Street. All of the money raised goes to providing mental health services for uninsured or underinsured people.

According to the National Institute of Mental Health, there were an estimated 59.3 million adults in the U.S. who experienced mental illness in 2022. That’s just over 23% of adults. Out of those nearly 60 million people, only half got treatment for mental illness that year.

Of adults treated, women were more likely to be treated at around 57% compared to men at around 42%. Young adults aged 18 to 25 were the least likely age group to get treatment at 49%.