The recent transition of Faith Community Health to Hope Counseling Center is aided by a grant from the Skaggs Foundation.

According to a release from the foundation issued in July, it awarded Faith a nearly $350,000 Grant to support the transition. The grant is the largest dollar amount ever awarded by the Skaggs Foundation. 

While falling outside of the usual Skaggs Legacy Endowment Grant Cycle, the grant was awarded through the foundation's new Request for Proposal Grant program in which an organization can apply for a grant identifying a need in the community outside of the normal award period. 

"Skaggs Foundation has long recognized the need for mental health services for our community and support the clinic's endeavors," said Meghan Connell, President of Skaggs Foundation in the release. "We are most excited that the use of these funds will allow Hope Counseling Center to hire more counselors as well as provide graduate students with the necessary clinical hours to become licensed mental health care providers."

Hope Counseling Center Executive Director Kyle David, during a recent interview on KRZK's "Ozarks Now" program said the former purpose of FCH to supply primary care services to the under-insured non-insured residents of Stone and Taney Counties were being addressed by other entities while the increase demand for mental health services had gone up substantially. 

The transition to Hope Counseling Center reached another milestone with the official name change earlier this month.