Catholic Charities Southwestern Ohio was created in 1916 by Archbishop Henry Moeller as the Bureau of Catholic Charities of the Archdiocese of Cincinnati. Catholic Charities was created as a result of duplication of the numerous Catholic agencies in service in Cincinnati. Based on the Catholic Charities model established in other dioceses, the Bureau focused on immediate relief work and served as the clearing house for those needing charitable aid. The Bureau received applications for aid and assigned them to the appropriate organization. The first location was at 107 West Ninth Street in downtown Cincinnati (see left) and the first director was Fr. Francis Gressle (see below right).
The Bureau became incorporated as a not-for-profit organization in February 1924.
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Services Offered
Catholic Charities offers a wide-range of social services to serve people of all faiths and income levels.
Family Services - provides parenting & life skills education, early childhood assistance, adoption assistance and postponing sexual involvement education.
Senior Services - includes the RSVP Program, Foster Grandparents, Senior Companions, and the Caregiver Assistance Network. These programs combine to provide 200,000 hours of service annually to young people, seniors aging in place and caregivers. The life-giving experience shared by both giver and receiver is immeasurable.
Legal Immigration Services - provides these serves as part of its mission to "serve the community to in turn serve the vulnerable."
Mental Health Counseling - seeks to heal those suffering from emotional, behavioral and other mental issues.
Stress
- Stress Management - Generalized Anxiety - Panic Disorders - Shyness/Social Anxiety - Depression/Loss of Interest/Fatigue - Grief & Loss
Qualifying for assistance from Ohio's program usually depends on the severity of your condition and financial circumstance. Read our full guide to Ohio's program.
A community counseling agency is a group therapy practice that offers affordable mental health services. Most are independent non-profit agencies, state agencies, or publicly-funded agencies. A few may restrict who is eligible for services, so it is a good idea to check when you call.
Community counseling agencies are generally more affordable than other therapy providers, but how much more affordable they are will depend on whether you qualify for a discount or sliding scale fee (or if they accept your insurance). Many, but not all, have a policy that they won't turn away anyone due to inability to pay. You should ask about their fees when you first call.
Expect to talk to kind people who want to help you find the care you need. Most community agencies strive to connect you with a live person within 24 hours, if not immediately. If you're asked to hold or leave a message, don't give up; just leave a message and wait. You should hear back pretty quickly.
Most agencies try to set up an initial assessment appointment within a week (some do within 24 hours), though the waitlist to start therapy is usually longer—about a few weeks on average. If you're not eligible or if the agency is not right for you, it's usually still worth it to call or drop in, because staff are knowledgeable about local options and can often refer you to one.