Florida Nonprofit Removes the Financial Barrier to Counseling

Letitia Browne-James, PhD, NCC, BC-TMH, LMHC-S, started her nonprofit organization, LBJ Behavioral Services, Inc., because she saw a need in her community for no-cost mental health services. Her busy group private practice, Victorious Living Counseling and Consulting, had encountered many people who needed services but could not afford them due to a high insurance deductible, being underinsured, or even a lack of insurance. 

“We wanted an opportunity to be able to provide services, so people can just focus on getting the help that they need without having to worry about how they are going to pay for it or the red tape that sometimes comes with insurance companies,” says Dr. Browne-James. 

The counselors on staff at LBJ Behavioral Services provide outpatient mental health services to children, couples, adults, and families in the Florida community who are uninsured or underinsured. Services are available both in person and through telemental health—and are all pro bono. 

It isn’t just about affordability, though. Dr. Browne-James’s vision is to not only provide mental health care at no cost, but to do it without sacrificing quality. She says it’s about “having a choice of a professional, ethical, multiculturally competent provider. In agency settings, there's often not a lot of choice in who a person sees or when they can be seen. We wanted to be as inclusive as possible while providing quality care.” 

Dr. Browne-James first tried to address the need through her existing practice but encountered limitations in that setting. “We do some pro bono work at Victorious Living,” she says. “But it's a business, so we're limited in the amount of pro bono slots that we can hold. One of the ways that I initially tried to deal with that barrier was to apply for grants, but a lot of funding sources require you to have a nonprofit status.” 

The solution for Dr. Browne-James was to start a nonprofit organization alongside her existing practice, which is in its 6th year, and LBJ Behavioral Services opened its doors in August. 

“Although we're essentially doing the same things, we're serving a different demographic,” she says. “It opens up opportunities for more funding to help support the mission, which is filling the gaps in mental health care for people who are marginalized or underrepresented and need services terribly because of different circumstances in their lives.” 

LBJ Behavioral Services may be a new organization, but Dr. Browne-James has big plans for growth. She is always looking for licensed counselors or interns to volunteer their services. To provide counseling services, volunteers must be licensed or license-eligible in Florida. However, there are other important opportunities to help, including fundraising and grant writing. Dr. Browne-James is busy pursuing funding opportunities, as it’s important to her that the organization grows as word spreads. 

“A lot of people complain that counselors are not calling them back or they call a certain place and there's a long waiting list,” Dr. Browne-James says. “When people need services, they need services. I don't want that to be a barrier, either.” 

When she started LBJ Behavioral Services, Dr. Browne-James found that the first step was to team up with like-minded professionals. Her experience as a Fellow in the NBCC Minority Fellowship Program and later as a member of the program’s Advisory Council had connected her with many such counselors. The board of directors for LBJ Behavioral Services includes 2016 MFP Doctoral Fellow Dr. Elisa Niles Thorne and MFP for Addictions Counseling Advisory Council Chair Shannon Kratky. The clinical team for LBJ Behavioral Services includes 2023 MFP Master’s Fellow Tiffany Nelson, who serves as a counseling intern. 

Dr. Browne-James attributes her charitable undertaking to her experience with the NBCC Foundation’s Minority Fellowship Program in other ways. 

“As a 2017 NBCC MFP Doctoral Fellow, it has been truly an inspiration in so many ways to be a part of this very prestigious and supportive group,” says Dr. Browne-James. “I learned a lot during my fellowship year and even after about bridging the gaps and trying to fill those pockets of people that are needing services. It was very inspirational but also gave me the foundation I needed to step out. I probably would not have done this, taking on something so big, without having the support of my colleagues and specifically those at NBCC, who are out there doing great work and have paved the way.” 

To donate or get involved, visit the LBJ Behavioral Services website. 

Letitia Browne-James is a National Certified Counselor, Board Certified-Telemental Health Provider, Licensed Mental Health Counselor (FL), Qualified Clinical Supervisor (FL), and Florida Behavioral Health Case Manager Supervisor with over 20 years of experience working with adults, children, families, and couples in many clinical settings as a counselor and administrator. She is an assistant professor and the marriage, couples, and family counseling program coordinator at Adler Graduate School and is adjunct faculty at other universities. Dr. Browne-James is an author, sought-after speaker, researcher, and consultant on mental health issues, teaching, clinical and administrative supervision, multiculturalism, social justice, advocacy, ethical practices, human trafficking, the intersections of mental and physical health issues, and many other topics. 

Dr. Browne-James earned her PhD in counselor education and supervision with a specialization in counseling and social change from Walden University, her master’s in mental health counseling with graduate certificates in marriage and family therapy and play therapy from the University of Central Florida, and her bachelor’s in psychology from Bethune Cookman University. 
 
Dr. Browne-James is an Advisory Council member for the NBCC Minority Fellowship Program (Mental Health Counseling), a member of the Association for Counselor Education and Supervision’s Social Justice and Human Rights Committee, a member of the Florida Counseling Association’s Public Policy and Bylaws Committees, Bylaws Committee Chair at the Association for Multicultural Counseling and Development, a non-physician member of the American Board of Internal Medicine Specialty Board, a member of Tampa General Hospital’s Patient & Family Coalition, and a member of the Boys Town of Central Florida Board of Directors. She is past president of the Florida Counseling Association, Florida Association for Multicultural Counseling and Development, and the Omega Zeta Chapter of Chi Sigma Iota Counseling Academic and Professional Honor Society at Walden University. She is also past treasurer of the Association for Multicultural Counseling and Development, a former Advisory Board member of Orange County’s Florida Assertive Community Treatment Team, and a former Ethics and Compliance Advisory Board member at Patients Like Me. 
 
Dr. Browne-James is an active member of several professional organizations and the recipient of many professional and service awards, including the NBCC Excellence in Clinical Mental Health With Underserved Populations Award, NBCC MFP Doctoral Fellow, Black Women Handling Business Women in Medicine Award, Bethune-Cookman University 40 Under 40 Outstanding Alumni Award, Chi Sigma Iota Omega Zeta Chapter Outstanding Doctoral Student Award, Valencia College Bridges to Success Woman of Distinction in Health Award, and Orlando Strong Florida Governor’s Medal of Unity Award.