THE NATIONAL conversation on mental health is helping to remove stigmas and give people a heightened awareness of how mental health affects our daily lives. We are seeing more honesty about various mental health struggles and the ways people are seeking treatment. This is an essential step in society, but one that still has limitations for many. IV Solution, Ketamine Centers of Chicago provides alternative and additional therapy for those struggling, but treatments are often not accessible to everyone.

The lack of access to mental health care for those in financially difficult situations is a huge barrier hurting many communities. Therefore, Dr. Bal Nandra, IV Solution, Ketamine Centers of Chicago’s Chief Medical Officer, is thrilled to announce a new 501(c) (3) foundation created to address these very concerns. Dr. Nandra created the Serenity Foundation to sponsor ketamine infusion-based treatments for those experiencing financial hardships who are seeking more than just conventional medications and treatments or have failed multiple therapies.

In the midst of the giving season, the Serenity Foundation will begin to achieve its mission with the support of donor funds from philanthropic, mental health, wellness advocates, and organizations. Psychiatric services are integral to the health and wellness of our communities and Serenity is needed now more than ever to finally provide a novel and effective treatment to those in need.

Ketamine treatments can be used for depression, PTSD, addiction, and other mental health illnesses. Ketamine’s surprisingly high success rate and speed at which it was able to relieve major depression was reported twenty years ago at Yale University. Since then, dozens of studies have duplicated those findings, and ketamine administered intravenously via infusion is 70 to 75 percent effective for relieving the most difficult mental health cases. Ketamine has been longitudinally studied for years to assure safety of patients and proves to have minimal to no side effects.

The Serenity Foundation and its Board that includes Alexa James, CEO of National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI), believe that ketamine treatments are an impactful service that should not discriminate based on a patient’s financial situation.

“IV Ketamine treatments should be accessible to everyone suffering from depression, anxiety, chronic pain, PTSD, and more,” says Dr. Bal Nandra. “Why should treatments only be limited to those that can afford them? When we start taking care of everyone and their mental health needs, our society will be a much better place.”

If you would like to inquire more about giving to Serenity Foundation or are in need of financial assistance, visit serenityfoundationusa.org. IV Solutions and Ketamine Centers is located at 712 N. Dearborn Street in Chicago. For more information, call 844-9-IV-MEDS (948-6337) or visit chicagoivsolution.com or ketaminechicago.com to watch and listen to our many patient testimonials, news, and radio stories.