At Mary's Center we offer a comprehensive, integrated set of health care, workforce development and education and social services to help individuals and families achieve physical and mental health and overcome the life challenges they face. We look beyond health problems, asking participants questions about their neighborhood, jobs, housing, education, and the well-being of other family members. Listening to our participants helps us to determine how we can work with them to relieve the stress in their lives and build a solid base for improving their health, education, and economic situation. We provide health care, family literacy and social services to individuals whose needs too often go unmet by the public and private systems. Mary's Center uses a holistic, multipronged approach to help each participant access individualized services that set them on the path toward good health, stable families, and economic independence. The Center offers high-quality, professional care in a safe and trusting environment to residents from the entire DC metropolitan region, including individuals from nearly 50 countries, through 8 locations.
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Services Offered
Mental Health Program - The Mary's Center School Based Mental Health (SBMH) Program supports children, families, and communities by promoting behavioral wellness. Established in 2014, SBMH currently partners with 19 public schools in Wards 1, 4, and 5 in Washington, DC. Interest in our program is growing rapidly and expansion is underway! We believe this is due to our highly skilled and bilingual therapists working with the schools. One or more mental health therapists partner full time in each school, reducing barriers to accessing diagnostic assessments and culturally responsive, trauma informed behavioral health care.
Behavioral Health Services - Mary's Center Behavioral Health (MCBH) provides high-quality behavioral health services to improve functioning, personal goal attainment and life satisfaction to clients in the District of Columbia and Maryland. We seek to reduce the stigma of behavioral health concerns, with providers who are ready to listen, normalize the concerns of our participants, and share knowledge and strategies to reduce suffering. MCBH participants access behavioral health services by calling our main number, through DC's Access Help-Line, or through referral from Mary's Center Primary Care Providers and Program staff.
* Our four Core Services Offered: *
* Diagnostic Assessments & Treatment Planning * Individual and Family Therapy * Medication evaluation and management by Board-Certified Psychiatrists * Community Support/Case Management
School-Based Mental Health Services - MCBH is partnered with 16 schools in DC's Wards 1, 4 and 5 where therapists conduct diagnostic and assessment services, individual, group, and family therapy, and referrals to psychiatry and other community services. Our SBMH Therapists also support teachers, parents and school culture where possible.
Integrated Behavioral Health - Our Maryland clinics provide behavioral health services through a Primary Care Behavioral Health model to participants who are currently accessing primary care at our Maryland locations. Behavioral health services are provided under an Integrated Care model in which behavioral health providers work together with medical providers to help address patients' mental/behavioral health needs within the primary care setting.
* Trauma-Focused Cognitive Behavioral Therapy * Parent Child Interactive Therapy - for children ages 2-6 with behavioral issues, and their caregivers * Motivational Interviewing * Solution Focused Counseling
Fees and Payment
The Behavioral Health Department at Mary's Center accepts the following health insurances: Medicaid (Trusted, Medstar, AmeriHealth, Health Services for Children with Special Needs) Straight Medicaid DC Healthcare Alliance Medicare Private insurance if already a Mary's Center Medical patient.
If you do not qualify for any health insurance or public benefit, our staff will use our Sliding Fee Scale to determine how much you will pay for your visit.
Services Offered To: Adults Couples Teens Children
Special Groups: Bilingual LGBTQ
Payment: Sliding Scale Pro-bono Medicare Medicaid
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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.