About Us
New Beginnings Behavioral Health, LLC is a culturally grounded mental health organization dedicated to expanding access, equity, and healing for marginalized and underserved communities. Founded in response to the long‑standing shortage of diverse providers and culturally competent services in Dane County, we work to dismantle systemic barriers that prevent people of color, LGBTQ+ individuals, and other marginalized groups from receiving the care and affirmation they deserve.
Our organization was established through both lived experience and more than twenty years of professional service in the behavioral health field. Frederick Harris—our founder, a person of color and a gay clinician—recognized a profound need for identity‑affirming, accessible, and culturally specific care when he relocated to Madison in 2017. His career began as a case manager in a maximum‑security prison in Toledo, Ohio, supporting incarcerated men of color and facilitating family reunification. Over the years, he has served diverse populations across inpatient, outpatient, and community‑based settings, developing restorative programs and providing therapy to individuals from varied cultural and socioeconomic backgrounds. These experiences revealed a persistent truth: traditional mental health systems often overlook or misunderstand the complex realities of marginalized communities.
New Beginnings Behavioral Health, LLC offers affordable therapeutic services for children, adolescents, adults, and families. We specialize in serving BIPOC, LGBTQ+, and other marginalized populations who have historically underutilized mental health services due to stigma, cost, cultural mistrust, and the lack of representation among providers. Our clinicians utilize a range of evidence‑based therapeutic modalities, guided by the belief that one single approach does not work for every individual. Instead, we tailor each therapeutic relationship to honor identity, culture, personal history, and intersectional experiences.
Our mission is to eliminate barriers to mental health care by providing identity‑affirming, culturally responsive, and accessible services that empower individuals and families to heal and thrive. Driven by our values of equity, representation, cultural humility, intersectionality, authenticity, and community partnership, we ensure that every client feels seen, validated, and understood.
New Beginnings Behavioral Health, LLC envisions a future where mental health systems are inclusive, diverse, and justice‑oriented—where clients can access care from providers who understand their cultural context and affirm the fullness of their identity. To advance this vision, we are committed to cultivating a staff that reflects the populations we serve and building strong community partnerships that enhance collective well‑being.
Through compassion, cultural competence, and a deep commitment to social justice, New Beginnings Behavioral Health, LLC strives to transform the mental health landscape so that all individuals, especially those who have been historically marginalized, can access the dignity, safety, and healing they deserve.
Our Mission
Our mission is to eliminate barriers to mental health care for marginalized communities by providing culturally grounded, identity-affirming, and accessible therapeutic services. Rooted in lived experience, clinical expertise, and a commitment to justice, we strive to create a safe and inclusive space where individuals and families of all backgrounds feel understood, empowered, and supported. We uplift diverse voices, honor the intersectionality of identity, and cultivate a team of providers who reflect the communities we serve. Through culturally competent care, compassion, and authenticity, we work to promote healing, resilience, and meaningful transformation.
Our Values
We are committed to dismantling systemic barriers that prevent marginalized communities from accessing quality mental health care. We challenge color‑blind practices, confront inequities, and advocate for inclusive and just systems of care. We honor the diverse identities, experiences, and histories of the individuals and families we serve. We recognize that culturally responsive care is essential to healing, and we continuously expand our knowledge, skills, and understanding to meet the needs of our communities with respect and humility.
We believe people heal best when they can see themselves reflected in their care providers. We intentionally cultivate a team that is diverse in race, ethnicity, gender identity, sexuality, and lived experience. We uplift marginalized voices and ensure that all clients feel affirmed, validated, and safe. We strive to remove financial, structural, and cultural barriers to mental health services. By offering affordable, community-centered care, we work to ensure that all people regardless of income, background, or identity can access the support they deserve.
We engage with honesty, transparency, and compassion. Our therapeutic approach is grounded in genuine human connection and a belief that trust is essential for healing. We recognize that identity is multidimensional and that individuals navigate multiple, overlapping systems of privilege and oppression. We incorporate this understanding into every aspect of our services to ensure care that is validating, nuanced, and holistic.
We support individuals and families in building resilience, restoring well‑being, and reclaiming their narratives. Through culturally aligned and person-centered practices, we empower clients to move toward growth and transformation. We believe healing extends beyond the therapy room. We collaborate with families, community organizations, and systems of care to strengthen support networks and build healthier, more connected communities.
Our Vision
We envision a world where marginalized communities have full and equitable access to mental health care that honors their identities, experiences, and histories. A world where culturally grounded providers reflect the communities they serve, and where every individual—regardless of race, gender identity, sexuality, or socioeconomic background—feels seen, affirmed, and empowered in their healing.
Our vision is to transform mental health systems into inclusive, justice-oriented spaces that address inequities rather than replicate them. Through representation, authenticity, and community partnership, we strive to create a future where barriers to care no longer exist, where stigma is dismantled, and where all people can heal with dignity, safety, and belonging.