Somebody Cares still serving county's mental health needs
By Carol Nolan
For more than twenty years, Somebody Cares, Inc. has been vital in the Whitley County community, and though some things have changed - logo, location and personnel - over the last few years, its mission remains the same: to serve “the underserved.”
The underserved may be those who could benefit greatly from counseling if it were affordable and those who simply desire an option in choosing mental health care. No one is turned away. Support from United Way, the Community Foundation, churches, individual contributions and other grants put its services within reach of everyone. 
Somebody Cares has always operated as a not for profit organization. The board of directors is made up of volunteers who believe in its mission and are willing to give of their time and effort to assure its survival. No office staff is employed. Counselors return messages left on the answering service and set their own appointments. Each client deals directly only with their own counselor.
The Linvill Center on Van Buren Street was the original home to the agency, but several years ago, Somebody Cares moved its offices to the lower level of the Lehmberg Building beside the hospital in Columbia City, and that’s when many people lost track of them.
So, during the month of May, which is Mental Health Month, Somebody Cares plans to be very visible. No one should be asking, by the end of May, “Whatever happened to Somebody Cares?” You will see their booth at the Heartbeats Festival at Parkview Whitley Hospital on May 3, 2008, from 7-11 a.m.
Stop by to pick up information about mental health issues, and about the agency. A Lego building contest and other handouts will be fun for both children and adults. Meet the counselors too during that time. Cheryl Wagoner and Carol Nolan are both licensed and, together, cover the fields of marriage, family, children, addictions and mental health.