WALK-IN COUNSELING CENTER INC
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Mission Statement
Walk-In Counseling Center provides free, anonymous, no-appointment-needed counseling every weekday during clinic hours. Our mission: Walk-In serves unmet needs for accessible mental health counseling services in our community. We help people stabilize during a time of crisis and resolve problems before they become severe. We provide free, anonymous, easily accessible services, by professional volunteers who share the values of dignity, compassion, equity and inclusion.
About This Cause
History, Mission, Goals, Strengths and Accomplishments Walk-In Counseling Center was founded in 1969 by a group of young newly-degreed psychologists. As was true then, our mission and goal today is to provide free, easily accessible mental health counseling to people who have urgent needs and few, if any, service options. Recently we discovered that Walk-In was the first such free, anonymous counseling service in the world. What a vision those young professionals had. Since 1969, Walk-In volunteers (master degree and PhD clinicians and advanced graduate students) have provided free counseling to tens of thousands of people – and indirectly countless family members and friends – helping them address intense mental health and emotional issues, interpersonal concerns and life’s challenges. In addition to helping people, we have improved the quality of mental health services in the community through our training and consultation to counselors, social workers and other helping professionals and organizations. We are, to our knowledge, the only mental health service in the world staffed entirely by volunteer clinicians. We estimate the value of volunteer services over these four+ decades at more than $22 million. Our model ensures high quality services, keeps our overhead costs to a minimum, and allows us to offer our services free of charge. Current Programs and Activities We offer free, anonymous no-appointment-needed counseling every weekday during clinic hours. In-person clinics are MWF 1-3 pm at 2421 Chicago Ave. Phone/computer clinics are MWF 1-3 pm and MTWTh 5:30-7:30pm. No Appointment: Clients access services through our no-appointment walk-in and phone/login clinics. The client may decide that “today is the day” at 9 a.m. and be seen at Walk-In that same day. Although we serve anyone who comes to us, our accessibility is especially helpful for people who can’t wait for an appointment; can’t afford premiums + deductibles + co-pays; must overcome multiple barriers (e.g., childcare, transportation, time off of work, simply feeling “good enough to go” that day) to make a scheduled appointment; have emotional issues that don’t fit into an insurance reimbursement environment; refuse to use their parents’ insurance; and/or wish to remain anonymous. Walk-In’s services were designed to address these needs. Anonymous: Walk-In is unique in that we don’t require name or identification, a philosophy and practice particularly relevant for: battered women on their batterer’s insurance policy; undocumented residents; people whose jobs would be at risk should their use of “mental health” services come to light. Free: At Walk-In, free means free. Services are not contingent on any type of payment or reimbursement. We do not charge a sliding fee, and we do not have a mechanism for accepting insurance (the process itself being prohibitively expensive). But, of course, we gratefully accept donations. Teams: Each walk-in clinic is staffed by volunteers: professional counselors, a team consultant and a paraprofessional receptionist. At the end of each walk-in clinic the team consults about the cases of the day and those seen by appointment by the team members. This team consultation is a primary element of volunteer satisfaction and growth. Diversity of Clients: Clients address personal, emotional and social problems such as depression, anxiety, relationship issues, drug and alcohol use, grief, loss, trauma, abuse, stress, LGBTQ concerns, bullying, major life changes, and many more issues. Based on 2019 statistics, clients were generally very low income. They were nearly equally male and female of which we are very proud, since women are generally over-represented in the use of mental health services. We have noticed a robust client population between 22 and 40 years of age, and a subsequent increase in the identification of “relationship issues” as a primary reason for seeking help. Training and Support of Volunteers: Although our volunteers are highly skilled professionals, ongoing training provided by Walk-In ensures they have the knowledge of and use best practices with our diverse clientele. Free quarterly training addresses issues volunteers deal with regularly – co-occurring disorders; trauma; domestic violence; sexual assault, etc. Consultation and Training for Professionals Over more than four decades Walk-In has become a helping resource for other clinicians and social service organizations. Gary Schoener, (previously our executive director from 1972 - 2010), heads our Consultation & Training Institute. He is internationally known for his expertise in professional ethics and boundaries, professional misconduct and other difficult issues. Net revenue from these services supports our free counseling services. Goals Walk-In Counseling Center helps people resolve problems before they become so severe they require hospitalization or police involvement, or result in tragedy or major life changes. We help people stabilize during a time of crisis, and cope and function more effectively in their families, jobs, school and community. Our model of free, easily accessible services greatly improves mental health care in the community and enhances the well-being of approximately 1,500 clients and countless family members and friends each year (agency-wide), and in turn the health, vitality and stability of our community. When people in trouble do better, we all do better. Client comments: • I walk out of here every time with a smile on my face feeling like someone actually cared! And tried to help me. It really encourages me. Wish I could donate more. • Do to dysfunctional family, I would be dead by now. Family members said I should have killed myself. Thank you. • I’ve received great help and appreciate the services offered. I’ve gone to other mental health places but I feel I’ve received the most help here. • R--- (counselor) has been amazingly helpful and supportive. Volunteer satisfaction survey: • 94% of volunteers would recommend Walk-In as a place to volunteer. Volunteer comments: • (I appreciate the) experience with a variety of client challenges; new skills and confidence; and enlightened perspective on the difficulties and issues inherent in being poor, minority, with a mental or physical illness, and alone. The isolation and aloneness of some is heartbreaking. It is a privilege to offer some solace. • The (team) culture here is conducive to growth and development. I appreciate the non-oppressive/collaborative nature of the model. • The trust the clients put in me is an honor. • (Regarding how to better recognize volunteers): The acceptance, helpfulness, and responsiveness (of staff) was the most meaningful for me. . . it let me know my efforts were valued.