Free Clinic Receives MPA Award

The Minnesota Psychological Association named Walk-In Counseling Center as the recipient of its 2014 Community Involvement Award.  The award “is given in the spirit of recognizing and promoting the volunteer service of psychologists to improve their community.”  In this case, “to an organization in which a psychologist volunteer plays an active and integral part of a project related to improving mental health or personal functioning of individuals or the community at large.”

Since 1969, Walk-In Counseling Center has provided free, no-appointment-needed mental health counseling services to anyone who comes during clinic hours. Free, walk-in clinics are available Monday through Friday, afternoons and evenings, at Walk-In’s original Minneapolis location and partner sites in St. Paul.  Specific hours and location information can be found at http://www.walkin.org.

Providing services free of charge is not the only unique thing about this organization:  all services are provided by professional clinicians who volunteer for Walk-In Counseling Center. It is believed to be the only mental health clinic in the nation whose services are provided entirely by volunteers. This is what earned them the Community Involvement Award. Each year approximately 165 people volunteer with Walk-In, of whom approximately 50% are psychologists or advanced psychology graduate students.

“In 2013, over 2,100 people came to us for help with depression, anxiety, relationship issues, grief, trauma, stress management and other life challenges,” said Mary Weeks, executive director.  “They were served by 164 volunteers who donated nearly 14,000 hours of services. We estimate the value of these services at over $825,000 – what a truly remarkable gift to the community!”

Walk-In Counseling Center is the first organization, rather than an individual, to receive the Minnesota Psychological Association’s Community Involvement Award.  It was presented to Walk-In during the Association’s annual convention on April 12. 

“We are thrilled that the 1,000+ Walk-In Counseling Center volunteers who have served this community since 1969, and who will serve this community in the future are recognized in this way,” said Weeks. 

About Walk-In

Walk-In is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit founded in 1969 in response to the unmet need for accessible mental health services in the Twin Cities.  Professional volunteer clinicians have provided free counseling services to tens of thousands of people, helping them address intense mental health issues and interpersonal concerns.  In addition to helping people, Walk-In has improved the quality of mental health services in the community through training and consultation to counselors, social workers and other helping professionals and organizations.   To learn more please visit http:// www.walkin.org.

Contact
Walk-In Counseling Center

Tracie R. Huhn-Carr

Director of Development and Communications

Phone: 612-870-0565
thuhn-carr@walkin.org                                                

www.walkin.org

###