Western Arkansas Counseling and Guidance Center, Inc (The Guidance Center)

The Guidance Center (Western Arkansas Counseling & Guidance Center) is a private non-profit licensed and accredited Community Mental Health Center and Certified Behavioral Health Clinic (CCBHC). They provide a wide range of coordinated health care services to treat mental, emotional, behavioral, physical, and substance use disorders. Their goal is to contribute positively to making their 6 county region including Crawford, Sebastian, Franklin, Logan, Scott, and Polk counties a healthier and safer environment in which to live, offering hope, recovery, and wellness. The Guidance Center has received mixed reviews. Some clients found the staff to be kind, attentive, and helpful, with one describing a staff member, Rachel, as going above and beyond to assist them during a crisis. The on-site nurse and cook were also praised for their care and support. Clients noted improvements in their mental health, with one stating their "life is already turning around" after receiving medication and counseling. However, there were also concerns raised. Some clients experienced issues with the phone system, noting it was difficult to reach the emergency after-hours line. There were also reports of medication being prescribed without proper validation, and instances of staff not paying attention or making mistakes on client charts. A few clients felt the online counseling option was not ideal. Overall, the Guidance Center seems to provide valuable mental health services, but there is room for improvement, particularly in the areas of crisis response and client-staff communication.