CLSACC has always been an organization of volunteer professionals. Since it's inception, they have been sustained by the commitment and dedication of volunteer lawyers and mental health professionals. Today, CLSACC is the only volunteer-based agency of its kind in the area, combining legal assistance with mental health counseling. Their unique interdisciplinary approach has enabled CLSACC to keep pace with the ever-changing and interrelated needs of their clients.
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- EIN 04-2470335
- (617) 661-1010
- 47 Thorndike St Cambridge MA 02141-1799 USA
- www.clsacc.org
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Nonprofit Overview
Causes: Community Mental Health Centers, Crime & Law, Domestic Violence, Legal Services, Mental Health, Spouse Abuse Prevention
Mission: Community legal services and counseling center provides free civil legal aid and affordable psychological counseling to low-income people. The organization's services combat the effects of poverty and violence by helping clients and their children meet basic human needs for safety, income, health and housing.
Programs: The legal program provides free civil legal aid to clients whose income is at or below 125% of the federal poverty level. The program provides a full range of services from advice to representation in complex litigation. Cases are handled in the areas of family law and domestic violence, housing and homelessness prevention, disability benefits, and immigration and refugee rights (including political asylum cases, special immigrant juveniles (sij) and relief for battered immigrants). Services were provided to 1070 clients by a staff of 5 full-time and 2 part-time attorneys and a bilingual paralegal, and 69 volunteer lawyers, law students, paralegals, interpreters and asylum evaluators. Attorneys also conduct community legal trainings and collaborate extensively with community partners. Legal program staff make client referrals to the in-house counseling program as needed and frequently consult with counseling program staff to better meet clients' legal needs. Total donated hours 8,347.
the counseling program offers affordable counseling to low income individuals who have difficulty gaining access to mental health services in the community, most of whom are struggling with poverty, social isolation, depression, or anxiety, and/or are working to overcome the effects of violence, torture, sexual abuse, and incest. The program provides short-term, long-term and intermittent counseling for individuals, groups, and couples. It conducts forensic psychological assessments of immigrant trauma victims who seek legal status in the usa and provides social work services for immigrant and refugee victims of crime and political trauma. Services are provided by the executive director, a part-time staff psychologist, two full-time staff social workers, and a team of 36 volunteer mental health professionals and 1 graduate students. 431 clients received services during the year, covering 2,362 appointments. 175 individuals referred to alternative settings to meet their mental health needs. Total donated hours 4,327.