The City of Vicksburg’s total cost for contract for its 500 employees to get mental health care is limited to $4,800, city officials said.

A question of the potential cost of the city contract with Warren-Yazoo Mental Health Services came after two of three city board members voted Thursday to renew a program to allow each city employee and each member of his or her immediate family to receive five mental health sessions at a cost of $75 per visit.

“We offer this because we live in a stressful society and you never know when you’re going to need it,” said North Ward Alderman Michael Mayfield, who voted with Mayor Paul Winfield for the contract renewal. “Workplace violence is increasing across the country. It’s to take care of the emotional health of the city.”

South Ward Alderman Sid Beauman was not at the meeting.

The cost for the 500 employees to use the program to its full potential could be up to $187,500. But City Attorney Lee Thames Jr. said the plan has cost no more than $5,000 in any of the five years it has been offered. An announcement of the contract renewal last week did not explain the cap.

Mayfield said the city arrived at the cap through an average of each year’s cost.

“This should be adequate for the usage,” he said, adding, “I have no doubt that if we need to increase it, we would be willing to do so.”

In the fiscal year that ended Thursday, accountant Doug Whittington said, the cost to the city was $750 and involved five employees. In the previous year, it was $1,800.

Mental health care is covered under a city employee insurance plan, but only if the employee opted in.

Interim Human Resource Director Walterine Langford said the downside to the offer is that a deductible fee of $35 is needed to pay for the services.

“Under the Employee Assistance Program, certain services are free,” she said. “For an employee who makes $7.25 an hour, when you can give that benefit at no cost to them, clearly you would want to do it. For the money we extend, it’s a great benefit.”

Services offered, as stated in the contract, include stress and crisis management, individual therapy, family counseling, psychiatric time (for medication purposes and substance abuse prevention.