Beauty Days
Started in 2021, the Mental Health Equity Fund (MHEF) is Arcus’ flagship community program which has provided subsidies for mental health services to remove financial barriers for vulnerable populations.
The MHEF provides full or partial subsidies for any and all services provided by Arcus, for people who cannot afford services and are uninsured or underinsured.
The MHEF prioritizes services for individuals who are uninsured or low-income, are cultural or ethnic minorities, are LGBTQ+ identified, have a history of housing or economic instability, or are undocumented immigrants and refugees.
From 2021-2023 the fund has provided direct subsidies or some form of financial support to over 780 individuals, subsidized over $80,000 and provided almost 24,000 hours of therapy.
In 2024 alone Arcus provided over $90,000 in subsidies from funds received from grants and donations, to over 83 individuals and families.
Volunteer with Us
Arcus provides Capacity Building partnerships with various organizations seeking to expand their current offerings and expand services to include behavioral health services.
At Brave Space Alliance, a Black and Trans Woman Led LGBTQ+ community-based organization in Hyde Park, Arcus is supporting the development of their own internal Behavioral Health programs while currently providing mental health services to BSA clients on a referral basis.
At TaskForce Prevention and Community Services and Life Is Work, two Black and Trans and LGBTQ+ led organizations in Austin on the west side of Chicago, Arcus is supporting the development of services supporting LGBTQ+ youth, and Black and Brown Trans populations in the city.