CIP's first mission is to provide quality mental health counseling services to low-income individuals and families in Marin so that they may re-establish mental and emotional well-being and live satisfying and productive lives. CIP offers short- and long-term outpatient psychotherapy on a sliding scale fee basis to adults, children, families, and couples who would otherwise be unable to afford such services.

For over 30 years, CIP has played a vital role in the continuum of service in Marin County and acts as a safety net for those in need. Last year, CIP provided an agency total of over 10,000 hours to more than 650 unduplicated clients, 85% of whom did not have Medi-Cal, and 80% of whom had monthly incomes of $2,500 or less. Clients received help with anxiety and depression, divorce and parental stress, issues affecting young children, domestic violence, abuse, and homelessness. More than 18% were children between 6 and 18 years of age.

CIP's second mission is to provide a rigorous training program for 20-24 interns in psychotherapy who are currently in post-graduate (Masters and Doctoral) programs. Each intern receives more than 350 hours of training and supervision each year, including individual supervision, group supervision, and training seminars. CIP is a CAPIC (California Psychological Internship Council) approved two-year site.

CIP's intern-therapists provide psychotherapeutic services to clients under the direction of more than 80 licensed mental health professionals who donate their time to teach and supervise the interns. Reliance on volunteer services enables CIP to provide quality care in an extremely cost efficient manner. This benefits the intern-therapists who receive superior training, the clients who receive excellent therapy, and the agency, which can operate very cost effectively. Because each hour of service costs far less than at other agencies, each dollar donated to CIP goes further. This ultimately benefits the community because healthy individuals and families make our whole community stronger.

Over the years, the mental health services for patients and their families requiring low-fee treatment have dwindled dramatically. CIP has remained as one of the major resources for low income individuals requiring quality psychotherapy.

- Alan Boyar, PhD, Dept. of Psychiatry, Kaiser Permanente