Through a new partnership between the Southern Smoke Foundation and the Psychology and Neuroscience Department Community Clinic at UNC-Chapel Hill, food and beverage workers across the state of North Carolina will benefit from no-cost counseling services.
Jen Youngstrom (left) and Jennifer Kirby co-direct the Psychology and Neuroscience Department Community Clinic.
In restaurant kitchens nationwide, when workers hear the words “behind you,” they know that a co-worker is close by. It’s a critically important phrase in an industry where sharp tools, loud environments, close quarters, high stress and long shifts are part of the job.
In 2020, the nonprofit Southern Smoke Foundation launched its mental health program, appropriately named Behind You, to provide access to no-cost mental health counseling sessions for food and beverage workers.
In a new partnership with UNC-Chapel Hill that was announced on May 4, North Carolina will become the 13th state to offer Southern Smoke’s Behind You program to the state’s food and beverage workers through the Psychology and Neuroscience Department Community Clinic.
“We are proud to partner with the Southern Smoke Foundation to provide accessible mental health care to North Carolina’s food and beverage workforce,” said Jennifer Kirby, Ph.D., clinic director of adult services and training and clinical professor in the psychology and neuroscience department in UNC’s College of Arts and Sciences. “This partnership aligns with our commitment to community service and provides invaluable clinical training opportunities for our graduate students while addressing a real need in our state.”
A long history of community service
The clinical psychology graduate program at UNC-Chapel Hill has been accredited by the American Psychological Association since 1949 and is one of the oldest in the country.
For over 15 years, the program has ranked within the top 10 graduate psychology programs nationally, currently at No. 3.
The Community Clinic trains clinical psychology graduate students and some social work graduate students in state-of-the-art, evidence-based assessment and treatment methods, serving approximately 200 clients a year, from preschool through adulthood. The clinic provides high-quality, affordable services and supports clinical research that advances the field.
The clinic is co-directed by Kirby and Jen Youngstrom, Ph.D., director of child services, assessment and training, who is also a clinical professor in the psychology and neuroscience department.
Expanding mental health access
Kirby said she is excited about the opportunity to reach North Carolina’s food and beverage workers. Through Behind You, these workers will have access to 20 no-cost, evidence-based counseling sessions provided by graduate student trainees under licensed supervision. Behind You is being offered at no cost to employers and their staff.
Services will be available either through telehealth sessions or in-person, providing flexibility for food and beverage workers’ demanding schedules.
“We are here to serve our community,” Kirby said. “That begins at home with the University, expands to the Research Triangle area and to the whole state of North Carolina. We want to be here to support those who need it most. Food and beverage workers experience an intense, fast-paced work environment. We are excited to have a new opportunity to reach them through this partnership with the Southern Smoke Foundation.”
North Carolina has one of the most vibrant food and beverage communities in the country, according to Catarina Bill, chief mission officer at the Southern Smoke Foundation. “These workers face unique mental health challenges: long hours, financial instability and high stress-environments,” she said. “What’s made North Carolina stand out is the remarkable way its industry has rallied around its own. We’re honored to partner with UNC-Chapel Hill to bring Behind You services and dedicated support to the state.”
Behind You addresses a critical gap in mental health care access. To date, the Southern Smoke Foundation has provided access to more than 11,000 no-cost counseling sessions. In 2025, 58% of Behind You clients received counseling for the first time or returned after more than five years due to barriers including cost, limited clinician availability and time constraints.
Applications for the North Carolina program will open July 1, with services expected to begin in September. Food and beverage workers can learn more and apply directly on the Southern Smoke website at https://southernsmoke.org/mental-health/.
By Kim Spurr, College of Arts and Sciences