Alpert JFS opens TMS center in West Palm Beach

Alpert Jewish Family Service opened the Neil S. Hirsch TMS Center in West Palm Beach on Oct. 5, expanding access to FDA-cleared depression treatment with most insurance accepted and a sliding fee scale. The center starts seeing patients Oct. 6 and pairs TMS with counseling, psychiatry and support services.

Why it matters: - The new center is meant to reduce a major cost barrier to advanced depression treatment in Palm Beach County. - Patients can access FDA-cleared transcranial magnetic stimulation, or TMS, without surgery or anesthesia. - Most insurance plans are accepted, and a sliding fee scale is available for people who otherwise could not afford care. - The center keeps patients connected to counseling, psychiatry and support groups during and after treatment.

What happened: - Alpert Jewish Family Service opened the Neil S. Hirsch TMS Center on Oct. 5 at its West Palm Beach offices. - Donors, community leaders and funding partners toured the TMS suite and watched a live demonstration at the ribbon-cutting. - The center begins seeing patients on Tuesday, Oct. 6. - The center offers TMS for adults with depression, depression with anxiety, or obsessive-compulsive disorder who have not found relief through medication and psychotherapy.

The details: - TMS has been FDA-cleared for depression since 2008. - A full course of treatment typically costs several thousand dollars. - Many insurance plans cover TMS only after patients have tried and failed multiple antidepressants. - The center was made possible by a donation from the Neil S. Hirsch Foundation through the Foundation for the Advancement of Clinical TMS. - Alpert JFS is the third nonprofit organization in the U.S. to receive this type of grant. - TMS uses brief, focused magnetic pulses to stimulate brain areas involved in mood regulation. - Patients remain awake during treatment and can drive themselves to and from appointments. - A full course typically includes about 36 sessions over six weeks. - The center is part of a broader mental health agency that has served Palm Beach County since 1974. - Clients can stay connected to counseling, psychiatry, food support, senior services, disability services and emergency assistance within one agency. - Adults in Palm Beach County can call 561-713-1892 or request a free assessment at more information. - Alpert JFS was founded in 1974 and serves more than 12,000 people each year with more than 100 professionals.

Between the lines: - The opening reflects a push to make a costly, specialized treatment available in a nonprofit setting. - The model also ties brain health treatment to wraparound social services, which can matter when depression affects work, family life and daily stability. - Community funding support signals local interest in expanding mental health access beyond traditional clinical channels.

What's next: - Alpert JFS will begin treating patients at the new center on Oct. 6. - Adults interested in TMS can request a free assessment or call the center for more information. - The center will likely serve as a test case for whether nonprofit-backed TMS can widen access in South Florida.

The bottom line: - The Neil S. Hirsch TMS Center gives Palm Beach County a new route to depression care that combines advanced treatment with financial flexibility and broader mental health support.