Path to Healing Extends Mental Healthcare Access to More Through Accelerate Grant

Melissa Gates founded Path to Healing in 2012 with a mission to provide competency, compassion, and acceptance to all who walk through her doors. Since opening, Path to Healing has become a beacon of hope in Dixon, Illinois, offering behavioral health and psychiatric services to children, adolescents, and adults.  

Common access barriers impacting rural communities presented challenges for Path to Healing and its patients, most notably, the distance patients had to travel to receive care. With the help of Sauk Valley Bank, Melissa applied for FHLBank Chicago’s Community First® Accelerate Grants for Small Business in 2022 and received $25,000 to support Path to Healing’s expansion. Through this grant, Melissa opened new offices in Byron, IL, and Rock Falls, IL, and hired additional therapists, updated software and technology, and provided training opportunities for staff. Melissa and her team at Path to Healing are committed to meeting their communities’ needs and breaking down barriers to mental healthcare access.

Watch the full story below and visit eBanking to apply for our Accelerate Grants program today.