For the past 30 years, Ecumenical Consultation Center at 147 Broadway in Hicksville has been providing counseling and psychotherapeutic services to individuals and families. Since its inception in 1973, the center has been offering mental health assistance by certified/licensed professionals with no waiting list.

"Two years ago, I suffered a great loss and I desperately needed help. Then, one day, I was told about the Ecumenical Consultation Center and I immediately called them," said a client of the center and parishioner of St. Luke's Lutheran Church whose name was not released. "I was very fortunate to have a lovely lady answer the phone that day. After I explained my needs, she informed me that she had an opening the very next day. I am very thankful that I had [her] and the Ecumenical Consultation Center to pull me through these two years."

When the center first opened its doors, it had just four people on staff. Today, there are 14 professionals who see some 225 clients each year. "We don't hire anyone unless they are certified," said Hicksville resident Nancy Grant, therapist and coordinator of services at the center.

The agency's roots go back to the Ecumenical Council, a group of clergy from Hicksville, Plainview and Bethpage who, during the 1970s, worked together for the welfare of Hicksville. A study performed in 1972 of existing agencies providing mental health services revealed that the community did not have sufficient mental health facilities to serve and that services for moderate-income families were sparse.

In addition, clergy members realized the growing requests for different types of counseling. Those factors and the Ecumenical Council's awareness of growing community issues which needed to be addressed, led them to believe that new services were needed. This awareness led to the formation of the Ecumenical Consultation Center in 1973.

Since day one, however, it was decided that no government funding would be sought to run the agency. As a result, the Ecumenical Consultation Center works on a sliding scale and also accepts insurance, where applicable.

"We've always stayed away from government funding because my experience in working with other agencies that get government funding have to cut back staff, cut back services or stop people in the middle of their therapy," said Hicksville resident Rev. Theodore Grant, a founder of the center who currently serves as its director. "When you become dependent on that, it rises and falls. So we stayed away from that."

The center accepts most insurance, including Vytra, Etna, U.S. Healthcare, Empire Blue Cross Blue Shield, Medicare, GHI, MHN and United Healthcare, among others. They do not, however, accept HIP or Medicaid. According to Mr. Grant, today's ever-changing health care costs and policies have put the center and its clients in a difficult situation.

"If you don't have any income then you are eligible for other public services. If you have too much income you fall under managed care," he said. "These are the same kinds of problems we had when we started the agency."

Mr. Grant added that with managed care numerous insurance companies will only pay a certain amount, leaving the insured responsible for a co-pay that many can't meet. "The trap is that we would be happy just accepting the co-pay, except we are not allowed to," he said.

Over the years, the Ecumenical Consultation Center has relied on financial donations from local businesses. Through its scholarship fund mailing each year to local businesses and churches, the center is able to provide assistance to those who need help but do not have medical coverage.

Currently, the center's fees are set by a sliding scale starting at $85 and decreasing to as low as $25 per session. With some clients not able to pay the minimum, Mrs. Grant said that's where the scholarship fund kicks in.

"We can't provide free service because we have our bills to pay, but we've seen people for $5, $10, $15, whatever they can afford," said Mrs. Grant. "The sliding scale is determined based on income and number of family members. Sometimes there are extenuating circumstances, maybe medical bills, so we will work with them and negotiate a fee that is mutually agreeable."

She added, "We also feel that they need to pay something if this is a priority in their life and they know they need help. Things have value when you charge something. It may be very minimal, but we cannot work with free services and we don't believe that is good for the client either."

Over the years, a great deal of the center's financial support has stemmed from churches throughout neighboring communities such as Farmingdale, Seaford, Westbury and Hempstead. But with local parishes struggling more and more in today's difficult economy, Mrs. Grant said so is the agency.

"Some of our supporting churches have had their own problems. Some of them have closed or will close," she said. "With the economy, if people aren't able to donate as much, then the churches fall under a poor economy too and that source of funding isn't there anymore."

Mrs. Grant added that perhaps the greatest contribution the center has received was the donation of a rent-free building by St. Ignatius Loyola Parish 15 years ago. After its inception in 1973, the agency had use of a rent-free house on Grand Avenue owned by St. Stephen's Lutheran Church. But in 1988, the church decided to expand and needed to sell the house in which the center operated. Having to pay rent would cause the center to increase its fees and would have forced clients to find services elsewhere.

As a result, the community rallied together and St. Ignatius Loyola Church offered the Ecumenical Consultation Center a rent-free home on church property. The only catch was that the house had been vacant for several years and was in deplorable condition. Rather than tearing it down, the church offered the home to the center and community assistance was sought in repairing the building. Over the next year, volunteers worked to renovate the building, inside and out, and on May 1, 1989, the doors to the new facility at 147 Broadway were opened, with no disruption of service to clients.

"The biggest help that we get here is, of course, the fact that St. Ignatius has, over the years, given us this building rent free," Mrs. Grant said. "If we did not have this, we would either have to really hike our fees up or wouldn't be able to continue serving the community. We pay all the maintenance and the utilities here, but this building is a wonderful blessing and we are very grateful."

The Ecumenical Consultation Center offers a full-range of counseling and psychotherapeutic services to children - ages 6 and up, adults and families by appointment only. All counselors are trained professionals and come the fall, a Spanish-speaking therapist will join the center's staff.

For more information on the Ecumenical Consultation Center, call 935-6179. Tax deductible contributions can be mailed to the Ecumenical Consultation Center, 147 Broadway, Hicksville, NY 11801.