The Summit Counseling Center Inc

The Summit serves over 2,500 individuals annually providing a wide range of specialty services for individuals, couples and families. Summit is committed to improving access to high-quality services, improving risk factors and outcomes, increasing capacity to integrated services and providing coordinated behavioral health services in school-based and community settings without compromising quality. The challenge is to ensure growth is strategically planned so that it doesn't put a burden on the infrastructure. Summit’s is committed to sustaining a quality workforce, stable finances and effective oversight. The Board of Directors is committed through the Strategic Plan to long-term sustainability of the organization in fulfilling its mission and vision.

Primary goals include:

1. Expansion of Summit OnSite's School-Based Therapy programs. In June 2015, The Summit began the Summit On-Site School-Based Therapy Program through a community partnership with Fulton County Schools. The goal of the program was to remove the barriers to students getting help: Stigma, Transportation, and Funding. Summit is currently serving 21 Fulton County elementary, middle and high schools with plans to expand to 7 more schools in the Fall of 2019.

2. Increase Client Assistance Fund (CAF) to reach low income women, children, and families. Reaching out for help can be one of the most difficult actions a person can take; and without the ability to pay, oftentimes seem impossible. The Summit's Board of Directors and staff are dedicated to continuing to grow our capacity to offer more affordable and assessable behavioral health services to residents in our large, diverse service area. Increasing CAF is a key component.

3. The Summit’s Capacity Building Projects are designed to sustain a quality workforce, stable finances and effective oversight. Capacity Building projects will strengthen the organization's existing operations to position in amid this strong growth period. The Board of Directors is committed through the Strategic Plan to long-term sustainability of the organization in fulfilling its mission and vision. Capacity Building Projects include leadership development, team building, organizing and refining Office 365 SharePoint sites and access rules and training; financial reporting optimization to comply with processes and reporting and comply with new laws; optimize clinical reporting and database systems; and clinical training to bolster the clinical staff knowledge and skills.

Since 1990, The Summit has brought hope, healing and restoration to more than 10,000 adults, teens, children and families. We address a full spectrum of issues from anxiety, depression, grief, trauma and loss, to substance abuse services, providing help for individuals, couples and families, including children, teens and emerging adults. The Summit is a recognized leader in community-based mental health services and community-wide education and events designed to increase accessibility and affordability and reduce the stigma associated with behavioral health care. The Summit received its 501(c)(3) status in February 1998. In FY 2017-2018, the Summit served 2,531 unduplicated clients.

1. In June 2015, the Summit On-Site School-Based Therapy Program created a community partnership with Fulton County Schools. The goal of the program is to remove the barriers to students getting help: Stigma, Transportation, and Funding. School-Based Therapists work within preschool, elementary, middle and high school facilities, helping students overcome behavioral, emotional and/or social problems that interfere with success at school and at home. The Summit has a sliding scale fee and is continuing to increase and expand services to ensure all children, teens and emerging adults have access to quality behavioral health care. The Summit currently serves 21 Fulton County elementary, middle and high schools and plans to add an additional 7 schools in the Fall of 2019. Summit has received funding from the Fulton County's Department of Community Development and and Fulton County Schools for start-up costs for 9 additional schools.

2. The Summit developed a financial model that addresses the financial needs and resources of higher income families, middle income families and lower income families. The Summit maintains a Client Assistance Fund to subsidize the fees of clients who cannot afford the full cost of services. Clients may apply for the subsidy providing proof of income and receive fees discounts as well as fee subsidies to reduce their co-payment to no charge or an amount they can afford. The Summit has three major event-based fundraisers every year supported by sponsorships and individual donors, as well as an annual year-end giving campaign. In addition, the Summit receives public and private grants, foundation funding, community partnerships, congregational partnerships and individual contributions to support the Client Assistance Fund.

3. The Summit has identified vendors and is currently identifying funding to initiate it's Capacity Building Projects.

The Summit has a strong and committed workforce, Board of Directors, and foundation of community support.

The Summit continues to strategically explore mission-related opportunities for its school-based therapy programs and receives numerous requests to provide services in local schools. The challenge is to ensure growth is carefully planned so that it doesn't put a burden on the infrastructure. The Summit is planning to address this challenge by implementing a staff recruitment and retention plan that identifies needs over the next 3 years. Additionally, The Summit developed and implemented best practices, including expectations, for school-based therapists. Strategically The Summit will continue to review the onsite school-based therapy program and bring recommendations to the Board regarding sustainability and expansion.

The Summit has implemented marketing and public awareness strategies over the last 12 months including prioritizing community partnership and engagement opportunities, including, the North Fulton Collaborative plan. Additionally, the Summit is developing referral relationship strategies, i.e. attorneys, doctors, etc.; reviewing and refining its website marketing strategy and web-oriented marketing relationships; continuing to review and streamline the payroll process; strengthening front office support at satellite locations; and planning for infrastructure/operational independence and sustainability. The Summit will continue to address these and other opportunities over the next 12 months through its Strategic Plan.

Recent accomplishments in the 2018-2021 Strategic Plan related to effectiveness and outcome measurements include:

1) Strengthened the Board by increasing the number of board members by ensuring representation from each satellite location;
2) Increased breadth of clinical program offerings by expanding Play Therapy, DBT, and School-Based therapy programs and counseling sites;
3) Increased the number of clinical hours by 12%;
4) Obtained grant training and support to increase number of local, state, federal and foundation grants submitted annually;
5) Compensation models reviewed and implemented with further staff incentives and scaling;
6) Strengthened Operating Reserve and paid off all lines of credit;
7) Investigated accreditation through nationally recognized Commission on Accreditation for Rehabilitation Facilities (CARF) and contracted with CARF consultant.