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Since 1954, the El Paso Child Guidance Center (the Center) has been providing high quality mental health services. The Center is the only outpatient mental health clinic in El Paso whose primary focus is helping low-income children and their families. No client is turned away due to inability to pay. Center’s mission is improving the health and wellbeing of children and families in a safe environment through mental health services, education and awareness. Our vision is transforming the Borderland by advancing mental health to foster healing and a stigma-free environment. The Center has a set of values that drive its work. To provide quality therapeutic services we believe the highest quality services are produced when we practice compassion, integrity, empathy, accountability, connection, and inclusion.
The Center's services directly impact children and adolescents' ability to heal from traumatic stress and in turn helps improve their school performance. El Paso is historically medically underserved. This population often does not have access to adequate behavioral health treatment and has experienced four major traumatic events including (1) poverty, the most pervasive social determinant of health, (2) the COVID-19 pandemic, which has increased isolation, child abuse, neglect, and domestic violence, and decreased access to basic needs and social support programs, (3) chronic stress and trauma associated with immigration and deportation issues, and (4) the tragic mass shooting in August 2019 at Walmart. The Center’s Client Centered Coordinated Mental Wellness model of care provides effective and efficient mental health care to our clients. Clients are provided prevention psychoeducation such as self-care and parenting classes; therapy to initially diagnose a client then provide emotional support and training; followed by psychiatry-which focuses on the physiological challenges directly affecting mental health, including prescription management; followed by in-home coordinated care and skills building. The care coordinator serves as a coach to ensure client stays the course, keeps appointments, follows the treatment plan, practices skills given. This model of care sets the client up for success along their pathway to mental wellness, giving them the chance to reach their fullest potential. Basic health care services are usually less expensive and can help prevent more serious health problems. Mental health intervention helps children succeed in many areas of life. Untreated mental illnesses have long lasting negative effects on the lives of young people making prevention, intervention, and treatment imperative. The Center's client base grew exponentially in the last five years from serving over 650 clients annually to now over 2,500 clients annually.