History
The Association's History
1947 First planning for Cowlitz County Guidance Association takes place with members of the Longview Junior Service League eager to support a community project to provide children's services. Friends Mrs. Orpha Christianson and Mrs. Martha Sue Natt are involved in the project.
1948 Roundtable community discussion held to determine need for further services.
1949 Longview Junior Service League holds the first Follies program (modern day Cabaret) with proceeds supporting the children's counseling project. Executive Board of Directors formed. Orpha Christianson elected first Board President.
1950 Orpha Christianson opens first office in the Cowlitz County Courthouse and begins providing services as the Cowlitz County Guidance Center.
Location: Cowlitz County Courthouse
207 North Fourth Avenue, Kelso
1951 Cowlitz County Guidance Center Directors form the Cowlitz County Guidance Association as a governing body. The agency continues doing business under the name Cowlitz County Guidance Center.
Cowlitz County Guidance Center expands its services from children to treating all ages for mental health issues.
1952 Cowlitz County Guidance Association writes its original constitution.
1953 In July, Cowlitz County Guidance Association files original Articles of Incorporation with Secretary of State. Cowlitz County Guidance Association is incorporated on September 14, 1953.
Orpha Christianson is named Executive Social Worker and Doctor George Mathews named Psychiatrist Director.
1958 Doctor Richard Berg named Psychiatrist Director.
1959 Location: Cowlitz County Courthouse Annex
380 North Third Avenue, Kelso
1960 Doctor Joseph H. Treleaven named Psychiatrist Director. In 1962, Doctor Treleaven leaves the agency to become the Director of Mental Health for the State of Oregon.
1961 Location: Cowlitz County Courthouse
207 North Fourth Avenue, Kelso
1964 Mrs. Mary Edith Feusner, Board President, signs first contract for provision of Cowlitz County funding to support Clinic services.
1965 Cowlitz County Guidance Association amends its Articles of Incorporation, adopting the business name, Lower Columbia Mental Health Center, thus establishing the agency as a community mental health center. The federal Mental Retardation Facilities and Community Mental Health Center Construction Act of 1963 and the Community Mental Health Center Act Amendments of 1965 spur this move.
Doctor Jeanne Boucher Leif named Psychiatrist Director.
Location: Paulsen Realty Building
1333 Fourteenth Avenue, Longview
1969 Orpha Christianson retires after 22 years of service to the organization, including 19 years as Executive Social Worker and 4 years as President of the Board of Directors. At this time, Mrs. Christianson's social work career encompasses 51 years of social work, including executive leadership positions in Cowlitz County and Washington State.
Doctor Lenly Gearheart named Psychiatrist Director.
Location: Saint John Hospital, 1924 wing
1614 East Kessler Boulevard, Longview
1971 Doctor William Conte named Psychiatrist Director.
1972 Mr. Dave Nelson named Executive Director.
1974 Doctor Robert Mejo named Psychiatrist Director.
Mrs. Kathleen Kjallin joins the Board of Directors, beginning the longest service record in agency history: eight years on the Board of Directors and sixteen years as Executive Director.
1978 Mr. David Sutherland named Executive Director.
1979 Mr. Laszlo Dezsofi named Executive Director.
1981 Cowlitz County Guidance Association begins to examine the possibility of obtaining professional liability insurance.
1982 The Association begins providing Emergency Mental Health Services, including administration of involuntary inpatient treatment. This service evolves in to the modern day Crisis Response Services.
Location: Saint John's Auditorium
811 17th Avenue, Longview
1983 In April, Doctor Marcia Hays is named acting Executive Director.
In June, Doctor Gary Braden is named Executive Director.
1984 Due to severe financial difficulties, the Board of Directors considers closing the agency.
Kathleen Kjallin named Interim Executive Director. Mrs. Kjallin begins 16 years as Executive Director and Chief Executive Officer. For the prior eight years, Mrs. Kjallin was a member of the Association's Board of Directors, including a term as President.
The Association's line staff adopts membership in the Office and Professional Employees International Union.
1988 Washington Legislature establishes Regional Support Networks to bring mental health service provision under the control of local government. Cowlitz and Clark Counties combine to form the Southwest Regional Support Network. Within a few years, the Counties would go their separate ways and each operate their own Regional Support Network.
Location: Saint John's Medical Center, Broadway Campus
600 Broadway, Longview
1994 The Association's union membership votes to strike. The strike was soon resolved, yet the effect on staff morale was long lasting.
1996 Cowlitz County Guidance Association purchases its first real estate.
Location: Lower Columbia Mental Health Center
1538 Eleventh Avenue, Longview
1998 The Association starts Riverview Psychiatric and Counseling Service, a program aimed at diversifying funding by providing private services and employee assistance plans.
The Southwest Regional Support Network issues a request for proposal, the results of which would be a split of Cowlitz County's mental health services between Lower Columbia Mental Health Center, and a new program, PeaceHealth's Center for Behavioral Solutions.
Location: Riverview Psychiatric and Counseling
1801 First Avenue, Longview
Note: additional location to existing site
2000 Mr. Eric Yakovich is named Chief Executive Officer. Mr. Yakovich served the previous seven years as the Association's Finance Director and Chief Financial Officer.
2001 Location: Lower Columbia Mental Health Center
1114 Broadway Street, Longview
Note: additional location to two existing sites
2003 The Association celebrates its 50th Anniversary as a corporation.
The Association purchases a 17,000 square foot complex and consolidates all its programs at the new location, 921 Fourteenth Avenue, in Longview. In relation, the Association sells it property located at 1538 Eleventh Avenue, Longview, and vacates its two other leased locations.
Location: Cowlitz County Guidance Association
921 Fourteenth Avenue, Longview
Locations in our History
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From the start, Cowlitz County Guidance Association dedicated as much of its funding as possible toward direct services. Office space was far down the list of fiscal priorities. Fortunately for the Association, many generous and caring community members have been stakeholders in the agency's success. From 1950 to 1965, Cowlitz County Guidance Association enjoyed donated office space as it operated its Guidance Clinic from the offices of the Health District in the Cowlitz County Courthouse. County Commissioners eventually needed space for growing County programs, and the Association was asked to find new space. For twenty-seven years, from 1969 to 1996, the Association operated from Saint John Medical Center facilities. While not free, the hospital donated as much as one-half the facilities' value. During much of this time, the Association enjoyed the support of the hospital administration. In 1996, growing hospital programs, ironically of the mental health variety in competition with the Association, prompted the hospital to ask the Association to look for other accommodations. In 1996, the Association fulfilled a longstanding dream of owning a facility with the purchase its property at 1538 11th Avenue. This property was originally constructed as a church in the sixties, and had most recently housed Cowlitz Blue Shield, which would become an affiliate of Regence insurance plans. Lower Columbia Mental Health Center moved eighteen employees to the 4,800 square foot facility and began treatment there in the fall of 1996. In the next seven years, increasing need and funding for outpatient mental health services outgrew this space. An alternate facility, a small suite down the street at 1114 Broadway, was leased to support increased service provision. Even so, the need for a larger facility remained evident. Adding to the space needs at this time, 1998 saw the inception of a new Association program, Riverview Psychiatric and Counseling Service. The Association leased yet another facility at 1801 First Avenue, in Kelso, to support this new program aimed at developing private counseling markets. By 2002, Cowlitz County Guidance Association had three locations spread across Longview and Kelso. Intra-agency communication, multiple lease payments and overcrowding made the Association's facilities situation untenable. Agency Directors and staff began planning for a new space to house all Association programs. Within one month, March 2003, the Association simultaneously sold its property at 1538 Eleventh Avenue in Longview, vacated its two leased properties, and purchased a new 17,000 square foot facility, located at 921 Fourteenth Avenue, in Longview. Since 1965, when Cowlitz County Commissioners asked the Association to vacate its donated space, there was talk of purchasing a building that would meet the long-term mental health needs of the community. The Association's purchase of 921 Fourteenth Avenue was the culmination of nearly forty years of discussions and dreams. Agency staff is located under one roof in a building with the space, flexibility and professional environment to provide the kind of respectful treatment that all people deserve. |
Cowlitz County Courthouse, 207 North Fourth Avenue, Kelso Cowlitz County Administrative Annex, 380 North Third Avenue, Kelso Cowlitz County Courthouse, 207 North Fourth Avenue, Kelso Paulsen Realty Building, Second Floor, 1333 Fourteenth Avenue, Longview Saint John's Hospital/Saint John Medical Center, 1615 Delaware Street, Longview Saint John Medical Center, Broadway Campus, Second Floor, 600 Broadway, Longview Lower Columbia Mental Health Center, 1538 Eleventh Avenue, Longview River Suites Building, 1801 First Avenue, Suite 2B, Longview Ankle and Foot Clinic Building, 1114 Broadway, Suite C, Longview Cowlitz County Guidance Association, 921 14th Avenue, Longview |
