Pro Bono Counseling Project (PBCP) is always just a phone call away. It takes courage to make that first call, and we recognize that it can be intimidating to take the first steps to seek help. PBCP’s goal is to make the process as comfortable as possible. The following is a brief overview of what you can expect when first contacting the organization.
During the initial call to PBCP, you will be asked for some basic contact information, such as your phone number, county, how you’d like staff to address you, and a confidential phone interview will be scheduled within about one week. During the approximately 20-minute phone interview, staff will ask some more sensitive questions, such as your past experiences and previous mental health care, and what your goals are for counseling. You are in control of which questions you choose to answer, and you will never be asked to provide a Social Security Number. Staff will also inquire if you have any counseling preferences. For example, you may want a clinician who shares your gender, race, or culture, or you may be interested in a particular type of therapy.
PBCP then uses the information gathered during the interview to work as a matchmaker for callers and clinicians. There are currently over 850 volunteer licensed mental health clinicians working alongside PBCP with varying specialties to provide care. PBCP works to ensure callers’ needs are met and that they are completely comfortable with their clinician. While in the process of being matched with an appropriate clinician, clients may call the mental health WARMline for immediate support or help, which is available to anyone between 10AM and 8PM on weekdays and 10AM and 6PM on weekends. Callers will be contacted once a match is made, and they can then contact their assigned clinician directly to begin counseling. If a caller also requests medication or a psychiatric assessment, they may be paired with a prescriber or referred to another provider for resources.
While under a clinician’s care, clients can set a comfortable schedule of their own, tailored to their lifestyle and their needs. PBCP does not have a waiting list, nor does it limit the number of sessions clients are permitted with their clinicians. The most important aspect of counseling is the relationship between clients and their matched clinicians. PBCP assists in the creation of this relationship and focuses on tailoring mental health care to callers’ needs and requests for them to receive the best experience and progress possible. If the initial pairing is not the right fit, a new clinician may be provided. PBCP conducts follow-up survey calls to ensure each client is comfortable and their needs are being met.
For more than 30 years, PBCP’s mission has been to ensure that mental care is accessible to all Marylanders in need. Pro Bono Counseling is your mental health connection – contact us today to start your journey.
If you are feeling overwhelmed with depression, anxiety, grief or loss, Pro Bono Counseling is your mental health connection. The mental health WARMLine, staffed with trained mental health professionals, is available daily to speak to someone about how you are feeling. The WARMLine can be reached at 410.598.0234. And if you are interested in counseling, PBCP will connect you with a volunteer mental health clinician at no cost to you. Contact PBCP at 410.825.1001 for more information.
Since its founding in 1991, the Pro Bono Counseling Project (PBCP), a non-profit 501(c)(3) corporation, has helped over 30,000 individuals and families throughout Maryland connect with volunteer counselors and obtain the mental health care they could not otherwise afford. Presently, PBCP has over 850 volunteer clinicians all over the state of Maryland who give over 8,500 hours of their time each year.
If you’d like to support PBCP, please click here to make an online, tax-deductible gift.
