Samaritan Counseling Center of the Capital Region Supports Young People

Students at risk for academic failure often face a bleak future, with less education and fewer opportunities. Yet resources needed to assist children and adolescents with emotional or behavioral issues are limited or unavailable. The Samaritan Counseling Center of the Capital Region seeks to address this issue with its Project PASS, counseling program serving students at risk of failing school.

Project PASS emphasizes the importance of using both the family and the school as resources to alleviate emotional and behavioral issues for each student. Working with the student, his or her family, and school personnel when necessary, Samaritan Counseling Center therapists establish therapeutic goals aimed at meeting grade level requirements.

Founded in 1985 by Dr. David Olsen, the Samaritan Counseling Center of the Capital Region is a nonprofit counseling practice for individual, couples, family and group therapy. The Center relies on private philanthropy and foundation grants to provide counseling regardless of an individual's ability to pay. Since most counseling services are not funded by insurance or government dollars, the Center has engaged the Innovative Resources to help build their volunteer leadership's capacity to raise philanthropic support. The Center's therapists are all certified and licensed professionals, representing the disciplines of clinical social work, clinical psychology, marriage and family therapy, and pastoral counseling.