Child Guidance Center of San Antonio

The Child Guidance Center of San Antonio is a not-for profit agency dedicated to improving our community one child at a time. The mission of the Child Guidance Center is to provide quality outpatient mental health care to Bexar County children and adolescents regardless of family income level. Last year the Center provided services to 2,178 children at locations throughout Bexar County. One thousand, four hundred and nineteen children and their families received treatment at the Center. These services were provided on an outpatient basis only and fees charged were based on each family's ability to pay. United Way and other contributions provided the balance of the cost. In addition to children seen at the Center, the Center's Staff provided extended professional services to schools and other social agencies. Last year, 759 children were seen at more than 25 extended service sites in Bexar County. The Child Guidance Center also offers postgraduate training for child psychiatry residents, general psychiatry residents, medical students and other healthcare students. The training function is funded through the University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio, under a formal affiliation agreement with the Center. Since 1956, the Child Guidance Center has been committed to identifying and addressing needs quickly, achieving positive results and providing our services in an ethical manner. The Center staff provides services at the Babcock site as well as numerous locations around Bexar County through collaboration with Juvenile Justice Academy, Head Start and area schools. The needs of the kids in our community are great and the consequences of failing to meet these needs are many. One in five children in our community need help, but two-thirds won't get in. Ten percent of children and adolescents have a serious emotional disturbance that severely disrupts their daily life and ability to function. Without help, mental health problems can lead to school failure, alcohol or other drug abuse, family discord, crime,violence and even suicide. Treatment is cost effective as every $1 invested in intervention saves $7 in juvenile justice and welfare costs. Funding Provided in Part By:The United Way of San Antonio and Bexar County, Christus Santa Rosa Children's Hospital, and Bexar County Juvenile Justice Academy.