News

Community Counseling Center Helps Local Residents

By Lamonte Dewindt
Campus Editor

Photographer: MCT

The CCC looks to help families in the community.

Located in the Arts & Education building, the Community Counseling Center (CCC) has been offering services for the Hayward community for over 30 years.

The CCC is available for Psychology majors who have an option in Marriage and Family Therapy to do their practicum because in order for these students to become a licensed therapist they need 3,000 hours of training.

“It started as a way for the Marriage and Family Therapy program to have a place to do their practicum,” explained Hamilton Baylon, assistant director and community liaison for the center. “When they first started there was about maybe five to 10 clients being seen a year.”

The center is open Tuesday through Thursday every week and believes in solution focus, strength-based counseling where they are goal oriented and work on the strengths of their clients.

Baylon has said since its opening, the CCC has seen nothing but growth; in the last year alone it has seen its client count jump to 130 in 2011.

Baylon explained that quite a few clients come in “stuck” and they want to get them “unstuck.”

According to Baylon, prior to 2010 the CCC was self-sufficient financially before it was able to receive funding.

“In 2010 we received funding from Eden Township health care district,” said Baylon.
Baylon also explained that prior to the arrival of new director Dr. Janet Logan that there was not a large emphasis on the clinic.

“Before Dr. Logan there was not a lot of emphasis on the clinic,” Baylon explained. “It was really geared more towards providing a training atmosphere for the students as opposed to what it is now and that is really helping the community.”

Baylon also explained that the CCC has seen clients from as far as Tracy come for their services.
The CCC offers clients sessions that cost five dollars for individuals and $10 for a family or couple session.

“We have been known to charge as little as a dollar,” said Baylon.

Unlike most clinics the CCC does not ask for documentation from their clients to see if they are legal citizens or any insurance.

“We will ask for financial information, but it is kind of just for our own statistics to see who we’re serving,” said Baylon.

The CCC does have struggles according to Baylon due to the fact they have out dated equipment.

“We don’t really have a lot of money,” expressed Baylon. “Right now we only have three rooms that have video capability, and we have to video all our sessions because it is a training environment.”

Though the CCC does not work in collaboration with the Health Center, the CCC does refer students to the health center if they feel that it is necessary.

“One of our first questions is, are you a CSUEB student?” said Baylon. “Now the policy goes now that you have to go to CAPS first. If they used those up [free sessions] then they are more than welcome to come to us.”

According to Baylon, the Counseling and Psychological Services (CAPS) originated from the CCC program even though the Student Health Center does not refer to their psychological services as that anymore.

“The way I know the story to go is that CAPS did not want our students seeing students,” explained Baylon.

While the CCC continues to try and build a relationship with the health center Baylon is working towards connecting the center more with the community.

“It’s family, then students,” said Baylon.

This entry was published in The Pioneer Online on Thursday, March 22nd, 2012 at 6:29 pm.