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community
Our Community Cares words Catherine Frederick with Rusti Holwick, CEO, The Guidance Center
DS: Tell us about some of the services you offer.
TGC: We offer outpatient individual, group and family therapy, case management, school-based, and addiction services. We can also provide psychological testing. The Guidance Center’s goal is to contribute positively to making our communities healthier and to provide holistic care to persons who need hope, recovery, and a path to wellness. To this end, we have various programs and services for adults, which include the Retired Senior Volunteer Program (RSVP), 5 West Crisis Stabilization Unit, NEW Beginnings Adult Day Treatment, Drug Alcohol Safety Education Program (DASEP), and Intensive Day Treatment (IDT). In addition, our programs for children and adolescents include Western Arkansas Therapeutic Children’s Homes (WATCH), which is therapeutic foster care. Also serving youth in foster care, The Fostering Change Program and Residential Care at Robin’s House are home-like group treatment centers. Addiction services include Medication-Assisted Treatment for opioid addiction. Finally, our new primary care clinic offers holistic care for physical
The Guidance Center (also known
health. We are here to help heal the whole you—body and mind.
as Western Arkansas Counseling & Guidance Center) opened its doors
DS: How can clients pay for these services?
fifty years ago to provide quality
TGC: The Guidance Center serves all clients regardless of their ability to pay.
services for men, women, and youth
We accept Arkansas Medicaid, Medicare, private insurance (policy permitting),
suffering from mental, emotional,
and self-pay. The Guidance Center offers discounts for essential services
and substance use disorders. They
depending upon your family size and income. Some clients who cannot pay
are a nonprofit community behavioral
may come in our door seeking help and have no insurance. In this situation,
healthcare provider serving the counties
we help fill out the paperwork to get them enrolled into a healthcare plan.
of Crawford, Franklin, Logan, Polk,
There shouldn’t be any financial barriers preventing someone who needs our
Sebastian, and Scott in western Arkansas.
help from getting it.
Fort Smith, Van Buren, Ozark, Booneville, Paris, Waldron, Mena Emergency After-Hours Crisis Line: 1.800.542.1031 Main Line: 479.452.6650 Non-Emergency Warm Line: 479.452.6655 wacgc.org
DS: Tell us what you see ahead for TGC.
TGC: Our growth is always a result of meeting the needs of the communities we serve. We recently expanded our capabilities to raise the bar of care by becoming an eligible Certified Community Behavioral Health Clinic (CCBHC). CCBHC is nationally known as the new Gold Standard of Care. Enhanced services such as mobile crisis, targeted case management, peer services, and many efforts to help divert people from a crisis, jail, emergency rooms, hospitalizations, and worsening health conditions. We continue to have a no-wrong-door policy and help meet people where they are in their unique situation. We are here to help people in need of hope and recovery. Our workforce is vital to us, and we are continuing to
Next month, we’ll showcase another
grow and train skilled professionals across our region.
worthy nonprofit in our area free of charge. We will accept requests for this free page
DS: How can our community help to support The Guidance Center?
beginning in October, 2022. Send questions
TGC: Financial support from our community is welcomed and very much
to catherine@dosouthmagazine.com.
appreciated! If you are interested in learning more or donating to one of our various programs, please call us at 479.452.6650.
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