The Peru Gazette

Alison M. Rosenbaum is the Samaritan Family Counseling Center’s newly hired mental health counselor. Located in the Peru Community Church, the Center can be accessed by a private door on the Rte 22B side of the Church.  The rest of the center consists of a private suite of rooms upstairs. 

By Adele Douglas

Let’s face it, we’ve all had times when we’ve really needed help.  Rev. Bob Svenson and Don Haight of the Peru Community Church saw an opportunity to offer additional counseling services to the local community and made it happen – with a great deal of support from the Church and the Center’s Board.   The Samaritan Family Counseling Center was founded in 1980 as an outreach ministry of the Keene Valley Congregational Church; a few years ago it was going to close. Instead, it transferred to the Peru Community Church and is supported as part of its outreach ministry.  Affiliated with the Samaritan Institute in Denver, Colorado, the Center is a private, not-for-profit organization that is governed by a local, ecumenical, community-wide Board of Trustees.  This Board consists of: Robert Svenson – Chair, Anne Hurd, Vice- Chair, Clay Reaser – Secretary-Treasurer, Diana Aguglia,Jennie Booth, Paul Connelly, Jenifer Deming, Faith Long, Kristopher Michaud, and Donna Scott.

The Samaritan program began in Elkhart, Indiana in 1972 when a physician, two parish pastors, and a seminary professor observed that by working together, ministers, therapists, and physicians were very effective in helping people with stress-related problems. This team approach became the foundation of the Samaritan program. Samaritan counselors believe that there is a close relationship of mind, body, spirit, and community, and that optimal health care involves consideration of all four.

Executive Director Don Haight is happy to report that the Center is now fully accredited by the Samaritan Institute.  “That means we’ll have to follow standards in administration and the provision of services, including a financial audit every two years, but it will give us credibility.  This will allow the center to attract clients who can be confident in their treatment and attract qualified staff, such as Alison.”

Inspired by a woman who opened hospices for veterans, Alison Rosenbaum knew at a young age that she wanted to work with people.   She’s a graduate of Peru Central School and has a Master of Science degree in Mental Health Counseling from SUNY Plattsburgh.  She is fully licensed by the State of New York and has work experience at Behavioral Health Services North, Beekmantown and Peru Schools and other institutional settings.  While she wasn’t expecting to come back to the area when she left for college she’s very happy to be working and raising her family in the North Country. Alison is approved as a mental health provider by three health insurance companies and the Center is working to increase that number.  In addition, the Board of Trustees is committed to raising funds to help off-set patient costs not covered by insurance.

The services the center offers include:

• Child and adolescent counseling
• Educational presentations
• Family counseling
• Group psychotherapy
• Individual counseling
• Marital and couples therapy
• Consultations and
• Workshops
• Support groups for clergy (planned)

Rosenbaum is very happy to be working at the Center and making a difference.  “This is a really nice place to be and I appreciate it. We’re all here to serve each other. No matter what your religion or your job title, everyone struggles with similar things and we need to do our best to work together to help each other out.  It’s nice to know that in this setting I have that opportunity.”

In addition to providing these services Don Haight and Alison Rosenbaum are busy reaching out to local clergy, school counselors and primary care physicians to establish relationships and to spread the word about the Center.  In April they will be starting a support group for people with chronic conditions at the Newman Center in Plattsburgh.

For more information about the Center, costs, or to set-up an appointment please call 643-6894 or e-mail sfcc6894@verizon.net. Or check out their website: www.sfccny.org. There is currently no waiting list for appointments and scheduling can be very flexible.