CARING CONNECTIONS: SCCC’s Collaborative Partnerships are Key to Maximizing Impact in the Community

–by Clay Crosby, LMFT, SCCC Associate Clinical Director

Partnership and collaboration are highly valued concepts in today’s mental health field.  Agencies are actively seeking ways to work together to serve their communities more effectively and efficiently.  The Southern California Counseling Center (SCCC) works with other organizations throughout the Greater Los Angeles region in service of our stated vision, “to create empowered communities where mental health care is a right, not a privilege.”

Our newest collaboration is with the Watts Labor Community Action Committee (WLCAC).  SCCC’s Outreach Program is providing both individual and group counseling at the WLCAC’s location in Watts.  Groups provided include anger management, parenting (in English and Spanish) and groups for clients who have been impacted by trauma.

SCCC has partnered with Westside Children’s Center since 2010. We provide individual, family, and group counseling to Westside clients who are involved with the Department of Child and Family Services’ Family Preservation program.  SCCC representatives attend quarterly collaborative meetings with all of the agencies that partner with Westside Children’s Center.  A recent collaborative meeting was held at SCCC and focused on services for LGBTQ teens, such as the new LGBTQ Teen group offered by SCCC’s Outreach program on Monday nights.

For many years now, SCCC’s School-Based Counseling Program has provided free counseling services to elementary, middle and high schools in the LAUSD system.  We currently send counselors to 6 area schools.  Students enrolled in the School-Based program are able to continue therapy at SCCC at no-cost over summer break and to have free family therapy sessions at SCCC as well.

In addition to the relationships that allow us to provide direct service to a broader range of clients, SCCC has numerous other partnerships that benefit the quality of care provided at our center and throughout the community.  Since 1992 our Community Counselor Certification Course has provided excellent training and support to service providers at numerous nonprofit organizations such as LA Family Housing, Children’s Institute, Homeboy Industries, and Alexandria House.  Our Executive Director and Clinical Director attend regular meetings of the Greater Los Angeles Consortium to share information and keep abreast of developments that may impact our counselors and clients.   The Consortium membership consists of representatives from other counseling centers, graduate schools and professional organizations.  Leading local agencies like Teen Line and Our House send staff members to present workshops to our counselors and the Pacific Gestalt Institute offers their annual “Gestalt Summer School” at SCCC.  Our clinical staff and Executive Director communicate frequently with the staff members of the Maple Center and Airport Marina Counseling Center, among others and maintain contact with the Field Placement staff at the various psychology graduate programs that send students to train at SCCC.

SCCC’s community partnerships help us to provide high quality care to more members of our community and provide enriched learning experiences for our counselors.  We are grateful to be connected to so many outstanding organizations.