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Caroline's Corner seeks county support for first pediatric mental‑health therapist in Jefferson County
Summary
Beth McRoberts described Caroline's Corner, a newly formed nonprofit co‑located with Madison Pediatric Wellness, that plans to provide play therapy, nutrition classes and wraparound services for children; the group requested county help to supplement the salary of its first mental‑health therapist and expects about 60% of clients to have Medicaid.
Beth McRoberts, founder of Caroline's Corner, told the Jefferson County council she launched the nonprofit after the death of her daughter and said the community lacks a dedicated pediatric mental‑health facility. "Jefferson County is currently classified as a mental health desert," McRoberts said, and she described a plan to sublease back half of Madison Pediatric Wellness to operate a child‑friendly mental‑health hub offering play therapy, mindfulness and nutrition programming.
McRoberts asked the council to help supplement salary and benefits for the first mental‑health therapist while insurance reimbursement and grants ramp up; she said the bulk of therapist compensation would come from insurance but that Medicaid reimburses at low rates and that an anticipated 60% of clients would be on Medicaid. "We anticipate that 60% of our clients will have Medicaid insurance," she said, noting credentialing for providers will take months and the first therapist could start in January.
She described partnerships with community organizations for food access and fitness supports and asked the county to consider seed funding to ensure sustainability in the early months. Council members asked about patient volumes and space; McRoberts said the pediatric clinic sees between 50 and 70 patients per day and that the Caroline's Corner facility is in the late fundraising and renovation stage.
