The SIMS Foundation, an organization that has been providing mental health services to Austin musicians for nearly 30 years, recently announced that it will be pausing its services for 90 days. This decision comes as the foundation works on restructuring and developing a new fundraising strategy to continue its important work in the community.
Since its founding in 1995, the SIMS Foundation has invested over $50 million in mental health care services for more than 25,000 members of the music community in Austin. Despite their efforts, the organization has been facing challenges with decreasing funding support from both public and private sources, while the demand for their services continues to grow.
Local musicians who rely on the SIMS Foundation for mental health care services were taken aback by the sudden announcement of the pause. Dean Seltzer, a musician in Austin, expressed his surprise and gratitude for the foundation, stating that he wouldn’t be in a positive mental state without their support. However, he also highlighted the difficulty of the timing, especially with the upcoming holidays when mental health issues tend to peak.
The foundation emphasized the need for more funding to sustain its operations and continue providing crucial services to the music community. While the decision to pause services was a difficult one, the SIMS Foundation is committed to working with clients and providers over the next three months to minimize the impact of the pause.
For those who are interested in supporting the organization during this challenging time, donations can be made online through their website. By coming together as a community and rallying behind the SIMS Foundation, we can ensure that this vital resource for musicians’ mental health continues to thrive and make a difference in the lives of those who need it most.