Originally founded in 1927 by All Saints' Episcopal Church to provide social welfare programs for the poor, elderly, sick, and "those who might otherwise be forgotten", Episcopal Community Services (ECS) expanded its scope in 1954 to provide programs to address the physical, emotional, and spiritual needs of all San Diegans. ECS was incorporated in 1955 and obtained its first government contract with San Diego County to provide counseling and jobs for men released from prison. Today, ECS provides more than $27 million in health and human services in the areas of homelessness, mental health, poverty, addiction and early childhood education to more than 8,000 clients in San Diego.
You May Also Consider (sponsored)
Quick Start Online Therapy: Tell Us a Little About Yourself and Get Matched With a Therapist Right for You
Take a simple guided quiz and let us know your preferences. Get matched to an online therapist right for you. Convenient and affordable online therapy from your phone, tablet or computer.
Have you been in therapy before?
Services Offered
ECS Para Las Familias (PLF) provides a range of bilingual early childhood mental health services to low-income children from birth to age five. Children served are experiencing behavioral problems due to trauma such as illness, accidents, neglect, domestic violence and child abuse. PLF's bilingual therapists provide screening, assessment, family and group therapy, school observation, teacher/provider consultation and parenting groups at PLF, in the child's home or classroom.
Programs like Para Las Familias reverse the negative effects of trauma and other stressors on children, helping to prevent additional health issues as they age and preparing them for a better life as they enter adulthood. Children that receive treatment at PLF form healthy emotional bonds with their parents or caregivers, heal from past traumas and transition to a place of social and emotional stability.
Fees and Payment
This is a non profit agency.
Services Offered To: Adults
Payment:
If You Call, Please Let Us Know How it Went:
Were You Able to Make an Appointment?
One quick last question. Who was seeking counseling today?
Do you know the reason they are not accepting clients?
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.