For over 35 years, Citizen Advocates and the North Star Family of Services have provided caring, professional, and certified care to thousands of individuals who have developmental disabilities, mental illnesses and substance use issues. Partnering with numerous funding and oversight sources - including the Office of Persons with Developmental Disabilities (OPWDD), the Office of Mental Health (OMH), the Office of Alcoholism and Substance Abuse Services (OASAS), and the Department of Health (DOH) - we coordinate care for individuals of all age levels and abilities and are committed to providing help and hope to residents of the North Country for many years to come.
Citizen Advocates promotes a culture of wellness, not only within the programs we provide, but also within the communities that are home to the thousands of people we serve. Our staff participate in various community events and activities that help raise awareness and give back to those in need.
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Services Offered
Behavioral Health Outpatient Treatment
* Crisis & Recovery Center - The Crisis & Recovery Center in Malone is an alternative to traditional emergency care for individuals experiencing a mental health or addiction crisis.
The Center offers immediate, 24-hour access to behavioral health treatment and outpatient detoxification services, as well linkages to other community services.
* Behavioral Health Services Our staff of certified professionals works with children, adolescents, adults, families, and couples, and we offer a variety of services from initial screening and evaluations to ongoing individual and group therapy, referrals and beyond, in order to address your needs. Beginning with an evaluation process, we work alongside individuals seeking help to determine what's going on in their lives, what's causing the problems, and how we can assist in solving them. From there, we develop a treatment plan tailored to individual needs. Along the way, we strive to help the entire family, with counseling available not only to the person experiencing substance abuse or mental illness, but also to those family members and loved ones who have been affected.Services Offered: > Individual, group, and family psychotherapy > Marriage and family counseling > Medication management > Depression screening and treatment > Services to help with bereavement, anger and anxiety > School-based services for children and adolescents > Court-ordered evaluations > Counseling and medication management services for Franklin County Jail residents > Referral to community support services (psychiatric rehabilitation, self-help, residential services, case management, family support and respite for adults and children) > Coordination with community-based providers including primary care physicians, and local hospitals > 24/7 crisis services
* Specialized Substance Use Disorder Services > Referral assistance for detox or inpatient treatment > Medication Assisted Treatment including Suboxone > DWI/DUI evaluations and treatment > DSS public assistance SUD evaluations > Individual counseling > Group counseling > Women's group > SEVEN CHALLENGES Adolescent group > Relapse prevention group > Co-occurring disorders group > Family Program and counseling for family members and significant others
Community Support Services * Children's Services - Children's Community Support Services build upon families' strengths and abilities to raise their children by helping children and their families navigate the complex system of services through a coordinated cross-systems approach. Our Community Support team embraces the concept that family and youth engagement are essential components in developing the physical, social and emotional well-being of children. > Intensive Case Management > Supportive Case Management > Home & Community Based Services > Adirondack Youth Lodge > The Phoenix Project > Mentor's Forward Program > Enhanced Mentor Program > After-School Program > Parent Skill Building > Supervised Visitation > Parent Support Program > Children's Respite Services > Serving Adolescents in Need of Treatment Program > Single Point of Access for Children's Mental Health Community Based Services > Wrap Around Process/Facilitation
* Adult Services - Community Support Services' Adult Services are available to help individuals live full and satisfying lives in their communities through the following programs: > Health Home Care Management > Crimson Phoenix Club > Mountain Crest Club > Supported Housing > Treatment Apartment Program > Webster Street Community Residence > Temporary Homeless Shelter > Adult Respite Services > Assisted Outpatient Treatment > Medication Grant Program > Peer Companion-Transportation Program > River Street Apartments
Fees and Payment
Our fees are: Initial Assessment, Mental Health/Chemical Dependency, Extended: $ 160 Inital Assessment, Chemical Dependency, Normative: $ 125 Individual Therapy, Brief: $ 95 Individual Therapy, Normative: $ 125 Family Therapy With Client: $ 173 Family Therapy Without Client: $ 95 Group Therapy: $ 65 Injection: $ 60 Medication Management: $ 100 Other services are available; rates vary depending on the service and length of session.
A sliding fee scale may be available for uninsured clients when they are not eligible for insurance, and when fees are beyond the ability to pay because of family income, size and expenses. We will require documentation of current income and number in household in order to be considered for the sliding scale. Eligibility for the reduce rate will be reviewed every 6 months.
Services Offered To: Adults
Special Groups: Bilingual
Payment: Sliding Scale Medicare Medicaid
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Qualifying for assistance from Wisconsin's program usually depends on the severity of your condition and financial circumstance. Read our full guide to Wisconsin'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.