Access Institute for Psychological Services

Founded in 2002, Access Institute for Psychological Services provides high-quality, intensive mental health care to low-income, culturally-diverse Bay Area residents in need. A key member of San Francisco's safety net of community health services, Access Institute provides psychotherapy, medication consultation and neuropsychological testing services to adults, children and families.

Mental health services for those most in need of them -- un- and under-insured – have never been in adequate supply in this country, and in the current economy the need for such services has never been greater. Access Institute is unique among low-fee community clinics. It provides attentive, individualized and comprehensive treatment when most public clinics, under-funded as they have always been, are forced severely restrict the care they provide.

In the last fiscal year more than 11,000 hours of mental health services were provided to more than 500 individuals and families. At the HayesValley clinic, services are provided on a sliding-scale. In addition, free psychological services are provided for children at three public elementary schools in San Francisco and for elders at BayviewHuntersPointAdultDayHealthCenter.

Access Institute trains the next generation of mental health professionals with a psychoanalytic and community-service focus. Our 16 are pre- and post-graduate candidates in Psychology, Social Work and Marriage and Family Therapy. Graduates go on to become licensed clinicians. Many take on staff positions at community clinics; others open private practices but reserve time to see patients at low fees. Seventy-five psychologists, psychiatrists, clinical social workers and marriage/family therapists provide individual supervision and teach ongoing seminars on a volunteer basis. This year, 45 professionals will teach over 500 hours of courses at Access Institute; 35 supervisors will provide more than 1500 hours of supervision.

In our first 10 years we built a sustainable model of community mental health treatment and internship training. Donations provide 50% of our budget; we don't rely on government support.