As the Ecumenical Consultation Center enters its 27th year of service and looks to continue its services for the community, the not-for-profit agency welcomes three new certified social workers and a pastoral counselor to its staff.

The recent staff additions will bring a wide range of training and professional expertise to the Ecumenical Center's staff. In addition, the added staff will enable the agency to continue its dedication to immediate service to those in need. There is no waiting list at the ECC.

The center received its charter from the New York Department of Social Services back in 1973. When it first opened its doors, the agency was housed in a building owned by St. Stephen's Lutheran Church. The concept of the center arose from the activities of the then existing Ecumenical Council, a group of churches in Hicksville, Plainview and Bethpage under the guidance of Rev. Dr. Roland Perez, former pastor of St. Stephen's, and the Rev. Dr. Theodore D. Grant, then pastor of Redeemer Lutheran.

At the time of its inception, the center's counseling services were designed to meet the need of the group of people who were caught in the middle between the services which existed at that time. They could not afford the fees of the private practitioners, nor could they qualify for the existing mental health agencies due to income cutoffs.

There has never been any particular catchment area for the Ecumenical Consultation Center. Clients come from all over Nassau, Western Suffolk and even areas of Queens to obtain services. The center has always had the advantage of being gifted with a rent-free building, first by St. Stephen's on Grand Avenue and since 1989 by St. Ignatius at 147 Broadway. This allows them to offer fees on a moderate sliding scale.

The center provides individual, marital and family psychotherapy to give help with such problems as depression, anxiety, marital discord, parent-child relationships, school difficulties, as well as bereavement and other issues. Its special focus has been its sensitivity to the spiritual needs of the clients. In recent years as the cultural makeup of the community has changed, bilingual counseling in Spanish has been made available by a certified social worker fluent in that language.

The agency has a unique position as a private, non-profit agency, which get its support from client fees, as well as contributions from the community. It has, from the time of its inception, made the conscious choice not to apply for any government support. Thus it is immune from the ebbs and flows of public funding which have affected so many local agencies recently, causing cutbacks in staffing and programming.

The Ecumenical Consultation Center has another unique aspect in the establishment of a scholarship fund, also funded by community contributions. This fund helps those clients who cannot even afford the minimum on the sliding scale. The recent scholarship drive, begun in December and still ongoing, has been very successful, with an ever widening base of individuals, businesses and churches giving their support. In addition, often memorials are given to the center after the death of a loved one or remembrances in honor of a special birthday or anniversary. These gifts also go into the scholarship fund to increase the outreach to those in need who could not otherwise afford help.

The three new social workers who have joined the staff are experienced and have broad areas of expertise. Dorothy Jackson, CSW, earned her master's degree in social work at Adelphi University. In addition to her work at the agency, she is a full-time cardiology and emergency room social worker at North Shore University Hospital in Manhasset. Jackson has also served as a coordinator of Christian Education and Youth Ministry in Norwalk, CT and Poughkeepsie, NY. She is also a "Stephen Minister," a Christian lay caregiver, and provides training in that area.

Audrey Finer, ACSW, brings to the center seven years of clinical experience, graduating from the Wurzweiler School of Social Work. Her clinical experience includes an internship on the Eating Disorders Unit at Columbia University, five years working with individuals and families on the in-patient psychiatric unit at SUNY-Downstate and several years at the Fifth Avenue Counseling Center in New York City. She is a candidate-in-training at the New York Center for Psychoanalytic Training.

Dr. Edward Dana, DSW, received his master of social work degree from Fordham University's Graduate School of Social Service and completed a post graduate certificate program in child and adolescent therapy from the same institution. Also, he is a graduate of Adephi University's Doctoral Program in social welfare. He is presently a school social worker at the Martin De Porres School in Queens, working with troubled youth.

Anyone in need of help is encouraged to telephone the Ecumenical Consultation Center at 516-935-6179. After an initial telephone screening, an intake will be arranged with the professional who will be providing the psychotherapy. A fee will be set based on a sliding scale. The center is able to work with many different insurance and managed care plans as well.

The Ecumenical has been active in the work and outreach of the Hicksville Chamber of Commerce, believing in the importance of agencies and businesses working together for the betterment of the community. Anyone interested in helping the center in its work by providing a scholarship fund donation, a memorial or special occasion remembrance is invited to send the contribution to the Ecumenical Consultation Center, 147 Broadway, Hicksville. All monies go into direct service and are tax deductible.