A History of Phoenix Counseling Center, Inc.
Phoenix Counseling Center, Inc, is a nonprofit (501C3) outpatient treatment facility established in 2002. The Center was founded to provide, quality, comprehensive and affordable treatment for chemical dependency and co-occurring disorders with the belief that addiction and mental health issues affect the mind, body and sprit of the whole person. In addition these conditions can have a serious impact on family members and society. The agency is committed to offering a wide-range of holistic, treatment modalities that clients can use to support their individual paths to recovery.
Best Practices
The agency adheres to Best Practices, and provides comprehensive, affordable, sliding scale programs for residents of southern Oregon and for low-income families in a home-like setting. It is the only treatment center offering those services in rural Phoenix and Talent. It also provides culturally-sensitive services for Spanish-speaking individuals and families.
Clients & Staff
The Center offers programs for approximately 250 participants each year. In fact the census nearly doubled in 2005-2006. It was then the agency moved from the little house on Main Street in Phoenix it had occupied for several years, to the wonderful, craftsman-style house at 149 S. Main Street, it occupies now.
There is a multi-credentialed staff with over 75 years combined experience. There are time-tested DUII Programs for women and men; women’s issues and men’s issues groups; an adolescent prevention and treatment Program entitled “Future Quest”; a women’s life skills program called “Changing Paths” and individual counseling, along with a growing census of self-referred clients and clients re-enrolling for voluntary extended aftercare. From 2002 to 2007 the agency doubled its staff from four to eight full and part-time employees.
Awards & Recognitions
In the past four years the agency has been the recipient of some prestigious awards, both monetary and honorary. In 2003 the founder and former director, Victoria Olson, was given the Barbara Northrop Award by Jackson County Probation “Women’s Issues” Program, for being the first agency in the Valley to enroll its women in their program.
In 2004 the agency received a grant from Meyer Memorial Trust to develop a Domestic Violence treatment program (Do No Harm) in conjunction with the women’s shelter Dunn House. Dunn House residents were invited to receive alcohol and drug treatment at the agency as needed. Phoenix Counseling Center provided a therapy, alcohol and drug education group for the residents of Dunn House on site.
In 2006 -2007 Leightman Maxey Foundation presented the agency with a one-year grant to fund the development and implementation of a women’s Life Skills Program at the agency. The program was so successful it was funded again in 2008. Since its inception four women have gone back to school, two have returned to get their GED’s, six women have begun to address debt, four have quit smoking, several women have found work or better jobs, eight woman have created resumes, several women have left unhealthy relationships, several women have improved health and parenting skills.
In 2007, the United Way made PCCI the recipient of their Day of Caring. The volunteers went all out, refurbishing the decks, painting the main group room and lobby, building a dividing fence in the front area and planting and installing a beautifully-appointed meditation garden on the north corner. The agency will again be the recipient of this community gesture when the U.W. brightens some offices during their Day of Caring in September 2008.
From 2006 to 2008 the agency received three grants to implement a landmark program to intervene on substance abusing and problematic behaviors in teens and preteens at the Armadillo Technical Institute in Phoenix and to expand and enhance the Adolescent Recovery Program at PCCI. The grants were awarded by Carpenter Foundation, Pacific Source and the Walker Fund of the Oregon Community Foundation. And in September 2008 the agency was awarded a grant from the Commission on Children and Families to expand its program into three other area schools.
The agency has held two successful fundraising events: A luncheon in June of 2005 at the Ashland Springs Hotel, which was featured on the evening news, and a silent auction and luncheon at Eden Farms in June of 2006. The agency has also held two successful, well-attended open houses and a Fall Festival.
PCCI is recognized by a number of community agencies and individuals including: The Graduate Psychology program at Southern Oregon University, the Phoenix Chamber of Commerce, the Commission on Children and Families and Phoenix Mayor Carlos DeBritto. It also receives referrals from Jackson County Community Justice, Juvenile Justice, DHS, area schools, La Clinica de Valle and other treatment providers.