Dot Foods offers behavioral, mental Health counseling to employees at Mount Sterling Family Health Center

MOUNT STERLING, Ill. — Dot Foods, Inc., the largest food industry redistributor in North America, is providing mental health care to employees and their family members covered by Dot’s health plan.

Dot opened its nearly 5,000-square-foot Mt. Sterling Family Health Center (FHC) in 2020 in Mount Sterling, operated by Premise Health, the world’s leading direct healthcare provider.  Since its opening, the FHC has provided nearly 3,000 employees and their family members covered by Dot’s health plan with low-cost, high-quality health care.  Now Dot is expanding care to include mental health services and counseling. 

Dot is adding on or near-site clinics at all of its U.S. locations by 2025. The Mount Sterling FHC is the first to have an on-site mental healthcare professional.

“We want to take care of our employees,” Mandi Clark, Dot Foods vice president of human resources, said in a press release. “That has been the foundation of our culture since Robert and Dorothy Tracy founded Dot more than 60 years ago. That means taking care of the whole person, physically and mentally. This is a great step in making sure our employees and their loved ones who use our health plan have increased access to mental healthcare.”

Premise Health has added licensed clinical social worker Julie Goddard to the Mount Sterling FHC staff.  She will help employees with such issues as anxiety, depression, stress, addiction, eating disorders, relationship conflict, panic disorders and trauma.  Goddard has nearly 20 years of experience in the mental health field, specializing in outpatient counseling and medication-assisted treatment programs.  She has worked with the Department of Children and Family Services, hospice and home health and Big Brother Big Sister.

Services at all Dot Family Health Centers are available at low or no cost to all employees and their families enrolled in Dot and Dot Transportation’s health plans. Patients can get annual physicals, biometric screenings, CDL certification, lab work, flu vaccines, generic prescriptions and counseling all in one place. The FHC also offers a condition management program for high blood pressure, diabetes, high cholesterol and more.  All visits are private and confidential.

“Mental health challenges can impact you in many different ways,” Goddard said. “I’m excited to be joining the team serving Dot’s Mount Sterling Family Health Center. It’s great to see employers prioritizing behavioral and mental health and working to address some of the stigma associated with this aspect of wellness.”

The company’s employee assistance program provides counseling services and virtual therapy. It is accessible through the MDLive benefit which makes healthcare accessible 24/7 wherever you are.