BILLINGS, Montana — A local mental health clinic is providing a valuable free service to the community.
Walla Walla University Billings Mental Health Clinic helps individuals, couples and families rebuild a sense of control and empowerment through intensive therapy that is accessible and cost-effective.
The clinic, which opened in 2014, operates as a training facility for graduate students preparing to become mental health practitioners. Each student must complete the equivalent number of practicum hours as a licensed clinical social worker. These students provide focused therapy sessions to residents.
Peggy Barta, the clinic's clinical supervisor, noted the clinic is specifically designed to help people who don't have access to mental health services.
“We accept families and individual adults and work individually with children ages 9 and up,” Barta said. “We see children under 9 with their families. In fact, we have a waiting list because we get so many requests for services. This gives children the opportunity to receive therapy at no cost. Most, if not all, of these children would not be able to get mental health support without coming here.”
Recent graduate Sean Kennedy shared his experience after completing his 900 hours at the clinic.
“When you start working here, you get clients quickly and your workload increases quickly,” Kennedy says. “As soon as I graduated, I went out and started working in private practice. In fact, I now have couples, children and adult clients. The experience I gained over the last year and a half has given me the confidence to go out and do my own work.”
The clinic is open Tuesday through Thursday from 9 a.m. Most of the clinic's funding comes from grants and donations, which are always welcome.
For more information about assistance or to schedule an appointment, please call 406-254-0308 or visit our website at https://www.wallawalla.edu/academics/grad-studies/social-work-msw/billings-campus/mental-health-clinic .
