Financial strain and stigma keep families from seeking counseling
Many families delay seeking counseling not because they don’t care, but because fear, financial pressure and stigma make access to support feel out of reach. In this expert interview, counselor Bob Ranieri explains how financial barriers, instability and judgment continue to shape who gets help — and who doesn’t.
Families experiencing instability often delay seeking counseling not because they do not care, but because fear, financial pressure and uncertainty can make access to support feel out of reach, according to counselor Bob Ranieri.
Ranieri, who works with individuals and couples, said communication breakdown is one of the most common challenges he encounters.
“One of the big challenges is sometimes they’re afraid of talking about what they’re going through for fear they might be judged,”
That hesitation, he explained, can prevent families from seeking support until problems escalate.
Financial barriers limit access to care
Beyond stigma, economic pressure often determines whether families can pursue counseling. Ranieri said many individuals face competing obstacles — including cost, transportation, childcare responsibilities and limited job flexibility — that make consistent care difficult.
“That’s normally a big, big issue there, because a lot of times they don’t have the funds to either get further education or to provide babysitting services so that they can… get better jobs and increase their family income”
National research supports that concern. The National Alliance on Mental Illness reports that cost, lack of insurance coverage and limited provider availability remain among the most common barriers preventing people from accessing mental health services.
The American Psychological Association similarly reports that financial strain and perceived stigma are consistently among the top reasons people delay or avoid seeking mental health care.
Stability shapes family outcomes
Ranieri said housing and financial stability are closely tied to a parent’s ability to support their children and maintain consistency in the home.
“That becomes a big issue because their concern is providing for their family. And if they can’t do that, basically, they’re very untethered,”
He emphasized that many families experiencing instability did not choose those circumstances.
“It’s not something that they voluntarily found themselves in. It’s something that happened to them,” Ranieri said.
“And basically, we should try to find ways to help them get through the process.”
A need for better-informed solutions
Ranieri said meaningful progress requires listening to the lived experiences of families rather than relying on assumptions or generalized solutions.
“Then they have to rely on their own, and they may not be in a position to be able to address some of the issues going forward,” he said.
He added that effective support systems must reflect the realities families face on the ground, including financial limitations, access gaps and the emotional burden that often accompanies instability.
The Hidden Legal Cost of Mental Health Intervention in Brevard County
In Brevard County, the Baker Act isn’t just a mental health process — it has become a legal weapon against people who can’t afford representation. This investigation reveals how vulnerable Floridians are punished not because they are dangerous — but because they are easy to punish.
For many Floridians, access to justice is increasingly defined by affordability rather than legal merit. At the Brevard County Courthouse in Viera, individuals arrive daily to navigate complex life-altering legal procedures — often without representation. A study published by the American Bar Association notes that nearly one-third of Americans cannot afford a lawyer for civil matters, despite the potentially severe consequences that stem from these cases .
The woman seen early in this film makes the point plainly: she stated she is trying to get a divorce on her own because she cannot afford counsel, and that “if you don’t have a lawyer, you’re at a major disadvantage in this courthouse.” Her experience reflects the growing national crisis of legal inequality — a crisis matched in scale by Florida’s use of involuntary mental health intervention under the Baker Act.
According to the Florida Department of Children and Families, Baker Act initiations have surged by more than 128% since 2001. While intended to protect individuals in immediate psychiatric crisis, data and patient testimony across the state indicate that the Baker Act has expanded into a default pathway for individuals who lack legal support, insurance coverage, or access to preventative mental healthcare.
Circles of Care in Melbourne is one of the regional facilities where many of these cases are routed. Yet the issue extends far beyond one hospital or one county. In multiple jurisdictions across the U.S., jails have now become the largest mental health providers, according to recent reporting from CNN .
This investigative video — embedded below — documents one day’s environment inside and around the public institutions where these two systems intersect. It examines not only where people go, but what structural pressures push them there: lack of representation, institutional backlog, and a legal architecture that is easier to enforce than to reform.