Cal Lutheran Community Counseling Services is a gem in Southern California. Since the 1980s, we have never stopped providing affordable psychological counseling services to children and adults in Ventura and LA counties. We have two clinics. One is in Oxnard, serving Oxnard, Ventura, Santa Paula, and Camarillo, and the other is in Westlake Village, serving Thousand Oaks, Moorpark, Simi Valley, and Agoura Hills.
Ten thousand sessions. This is how many sessions we provide each year. We provide in-person and telehealth therapy in English and Spanish to the community, with most sessions costing our clients $25 or less.
In a recent survey conducted by VCBH (2019), 24% of Oxnard respondents reported not receiving access to needed mental health services. Half of the survey, with over 4,000 respondents, reported being diagnosed with depression by a healthcare provider in the past, with diagnoses even higher among homeless (65%) and LGBTQ+ (62%) populations. The VCBH (2019) survey respondents described barriers to accessing mental health treatment, such as lacking health insurance (or limited health insurance), services being offered at inconvenient times or requiring too much travel, fear of being mistreated by the provider, and a lack of services that fit their culture or language. There are not enough providers in the City of Oxnard to adequately meet the needs of those requiring services. The city does not have sufficient free, bilingual, outpatient mental health treatment options providing in-person and telehealth services for those needing assistance.
Our greatest current need is supporting services at our Oxnard clinic. We wish to secure additional funding to provide free services for children, adolescents, and caregivers with mental health needs in families facing severe financial hardship. Many people in our community are uninsured or underinsured and have few options available to them when they seek mental health services. We provide the highest quality of counseling to those with minimal financial resources, and we welcome all. More than half of our clients are from underrepresented groups, with 15% identifying as LGBTQIA+.
We have never had more of a demand for services than what we have been experiencing these last few months. Yet, even with our low-cost services, any fee provides a financial barrier for some of our clients. On any one day, we are working to help our community deal with problems related to loss, health, employment, violence, and life changes. Our therapists help our clients pass through the darkest times and also celebrate the joy that comes with success.
We are grateful for your contributions. When added together, small donations have a significant community impact. We could not exist without the generosity of people who provide support to those who would otherwise go without.
Your support of CLU Community Counseling Services Oxnard Center is appreciated – thank you!
