Recently, Boundless had the opportunity to help the SIMS Foundation, an Austin nonprofit organization, with some new branding for their 30th anniversary campaign, as well as their 30th Anniversary Celebration on May 18.
In addition to showcasing some of the new work, we wanted to give Sarah Andrews, Chief Advancement Officer for the SIMS Foundation, an opportunity to explain what they do and why it's so important to the Austin music community.
Sarah, can you tell us a bit about the SIMS Foundation and what it does?
The SIMS Foundation is an Austin-based nonprofit dedicated to providing mental health and substance use recovery services to musicians, music industry professionals, and their families. The foundation was created in 1995 in response to the tragic death of Sims Ellison, bassist for the local band Pariah, who died by suicide after battling depression. Our founders—Don Ellison (Sims' father), Don Harvey, Wayne Nagel, Alejandro Escovedo, and Walter Taylor—united the Austin music community to found the SIMS Foundation in Sims’ honor and provide industry professionals with the mental and emotional support they need to thrive.
What are your core mission and services?
As it has for 30 years, SIMS remains focused on the mission of its founders by ensuring Austin’s music industry professionals and their dependent family members have access to affordable, personalized mental healthcare. We offer a range of services to our members, including counseling, psychiatric care, and substance use recovery programs. In 2024, SIMS supported over 600 music industry professionals, providing 7,688 counseling sessions, 789 psychiatric visits, and nearly 90 days of substance use treatment. We continue to maintain a network of 125 behavioral healthcare clinicians who provide 17 types of services focused on the unique needs of Austin’s music community.
What does 30 years of success look like?
Since 1995, SIMS has provided over $50 million in mental health care services to more than 25,000 members of Austin’s music community. The foundation continues to play a vital role in supporting the well-being of those who contribute to the city's vibrant music scene.
What’s next for SIMS?
Recently, SIMS completed a strategic restructuring of our service delivery model, which is allowing us to take a more proactive approach to the ever-changing behavioral healthcare landscape. By helping clients leverage resources already available to them, like lower-cost insurance, SIMS will be able to directly assist even more under-insured or uninsured members of Austin’s music community. We are also excited to expand our service array to include wellness-based services soon.
How can people get involved with the SIMS Foundation?
People can learn more about our work at simsfoundation.org, where you can also become a monthly donor or sign up to volunteer. And please mark your calendars for May 18 and join us at our 30th Anniversary Community Celebration at Empire Control Room & Garage!
