SamaraCare Counseling

History

SamaraCare is a 501 (3)(c) non-profit organization that was founded in 1971 when three local churches came together to create a counseling organization known as the Interfaith Family Life Center, that would address the mental health needs of the community--regardless of a person's race, religion, gender or socioeconomic status. In 1983, the organization affiliated with the Solihten Institute of Denver, CO, a network of similar nonprofit counseling centers, which issues accreditation based on standards of organizational structure, financial management, professional accountability and ethics..The name was changed to Samaritan Interfaith Counseling Center. The organization re-branded in 2017 to operate under the assumed name of SamaraCare in order develop a greater presence in the community, make it easier for people to get the care they needed and deserved and, to renew its commitment to challenging the stigma surrounding mental illness.

Specialties

SamaraCare provides professional mental health counseling and psychological assessments and testing for individuals and families from diverse backgrounds and varied financial means. It offers a wide variety of client-focused and goal-oriented counseling services in a broad range of specialty areas so that clients can find the right emotional, behavioral and spiritual balance they are seeking. SamaraCare serves over 1,300 individuals annually throughout west/southwest suburban Chicago. Our client base ranges in age from 2-92. Populations include children, adolescents, adults, seniors, couples, families, clergy, teachers, police, LGBTQ, trauma survivors, veterans and anyone needing quality mental health care. The majority (65%) of the total clients we serve are low/moderate income with household income less than 80% of Median Family Income. SamaraCare offers fee subsidy assistance through its Mental Health Access Program for qualifying clients. We are unique in providing the option of faith-integrated counseling to those individuals seeking this approach. SamaraCare does not promote or proselytize any religion. Instead, we respect all faith perspectives or no faith at all, and help our clients engage their faith as they see fit as part of the overall healing process. Many of our therapists have formal training in integrating spirituality into counseling when working with divergent clients.