Cowlitz County Guidance Association is a private, non-profit organization with tax-exempt and charitable status under IRS code 501(c)(3). It was founded as a child guidance association by the Longview Junior Service League in 1947, and incorporated in 1953. In 1963, when the Community Mental Health Act was enacted in the State of Washington, the Center enlarged its focus and accepted the role of a comprehensive outpatient community mental health center. With that change came the business name for our publicly-funded services, Lower Columbia Mental Health Center.
A seventeen-member volunteer Board of Directors governs the Center. The Board serves in an advisory capacity and sees as its charge that of: assuring financial stability of the organization, developing the mission of the Center, and establishing policy and procedure to accomplish the mission. The Board employs the Chief Executive Officer, who manages the operations and implements policies and procedures. CLICK HERE for a full organizational chart.
The Center has always provided outpatient mental health services.
We currently offer:
- Involuntary Treatment Act Administration
- 24-hour Crisis Response Services by outreach and phone
- Crisis Support Unit, a short-stay residential program designed for sub-acute hospital diversion
- Crisis Respite Services
- Comprehensive Community Support Services
- Therapy
- Case Management
- Psychiatry
- Psychology
- Employment Services
- Brief Intervention
- Specialized Older Adult Services
- Employee Assistance Plans
- School-based Child and Family Services
- Prevention and Early Intervention Services
- Psycho-education
- Co-occurring Disorders Treatment
- Crisis Intervention Training for law enforcement officers and other first responders
- Critical Incident Stress Debriefing
- Cowlitz River Clubhouse, a skill-building day program
- Supported Residential Services