1-1 1 1-2 SENATE RESOLUTION NO. 1220 1-3 WHEREAS, The Senate of the State of Texas takes pleasure 1-4 in recognizing the Capital Area Mental Health Center (CAMHC), 1-5 a nonprofit Austin agency, which will be celebrating its 20th year 1-6 next year of providing affordable counseling to those who would 1-7 not otherwise have access to this necessary service; and 1-8 WHEREAS, Each year, approximately 1,200 clients receive 1-9 counseling through the health center, where the length of 1-10 treatment is guided by the needs of the client; and 1-11 WHEREAS, The only Austin area community mental health 1-12 agency offering affordable counseling to low-income persons, it is 1-13 able to keep overhead to a minimum since all of the organization's 1-14 7,000 hours of direct service annually are provided by unpaid 1-15 professionals; the center's budget would have to be four or five 1-16 times as large if all of its donated services were purchased; at 1-17 any given time, about 125 licensed personnel volunteers and 30 1-18 therapists-in-training are providing counseling to more than 200 1-19 people; and 1-20 WHEREAS, The first mental health agency in the United States 1-21 to be clinically staffed by volunteers, it remains one of a 2-1 handful today; the Capital Area Mental Health Center was formed 2-2 in 1980 by the Capital Area Psychological Association to 2-3 coordinate reduced fee services provided by Austin area licensed 2-4 psychologists; by 1985, the volunteer base had expanded to 2-5 include clinical social workers, professional counselors, and 2-6 psychiatrists; and 2-7 WHEREAS, Establishing an extensive graduate training program 2-8 to increase the number of clients who could be served, the Capital 2-9 Area Mental Health Center continues to offer the only place in the 2-10 Austin area where therapists-in-training can gain and practice 2-11 skills in long-term psychotherapy; and 2-12 WHEREAS, Individuals seek counseling to deal with chronic 2-13 mental illness, depression, anxiety, post-traumatic stress, 2-14 relationship difficulties, and other serious challenges; agency 2-15 clients invest financially, as well as personally, in their 2-16 counseling process; in therapy, clients are supported in making 2-17 meaningful changes in their lives and gaining skills to function 2-18 more effectively on their own, in the workplace, and as members of 2-19 the community; now, therefore, be it 2-20 RESOLVED, That the Senate of the State of Texas, 2-21 76th Legislature, hereby congratulate the Capital Area Mental 2-22 Health Center in anticipation of the agency's 20th anniversary 2-23 celebration in the year 2000 and commend its many volunteers 2-24 for their vital service to the people of Central Texas; and, 3-1 be it further 3-2 RESOLVED, That a copy of this Resolution be prepared as an 3-3 expression of the high regard and esteem of the Texas Senate. 3-4 Barrientos 3-5 ______________________________________ 3-6 President of the Senate 3-7 I hereby certify that the above 3-8 Resolution was adopted by the Senate 3-9 on May 31, 1999. 3-10 ______________________________________ 3-11 Secretary of the Senate 3-12 ______________________________________ 3-13 Member, Texas Senate