During Gail Sullivan’s 23 years at The Center for Counseling & Consultation, she saw first-hand how new and enhanced services benefit clients as they seek treatment for mental-health concerns.
Sullivan, who joined The Center on June 21, 2001, recently retired as clinical director. Prior to serving in that position, she was a therapist from 2001-2008.
“I was hired for the Crisis Team following the Hoisington tornado, during which I lost my home,” Sullivan recalled. “We counseled those affected by the storm and connected them with the resources they needed.
“I cannot imagine a better place to work in my chosen field,” Sullivan added. “The administration and staff offer tremendous support and endless opportunities for new and exciting programs and experiences.”
During her years at The Center, Sullivan was directly involved with a number of accomplishments.
“For example, when we started offering telehealth crisis services, everyone benefited,” she said. “We could respond quickly, which is so important when a client is in crisis.
“In addition, it is great to be readily available for ongoing and preventive services that oftentimes can prevent a crisis. Telehealth also cut way back on our travel time throughout our four-county service area, allowing us to serve more people in a timely fashion.”
Sullivan noted that since The Center is now a Certified Community Behavioral Health Clinic, it “offers a more holistic approach to caring for individuals. This includes Care Coordination, housing and employment specialists, and Assertive Community Treatment-intensive crisis services.
“All these programs combine to help address clients’ mental-health issues, while meeting their needs in all areas of their lives,” she noted. “The goal is to help individuals find support and enhance their quality of life.”
Other accomplishments include: implementation of Open Access, which allows people to walk in and see a therapist quickly when they are ready to start services; the Emotional Support Animal Program; management of continued services with telehealth during the COVID shut-downs; and updated treatment plans, with training provided.
Sullivan and her colleagues also organized an Evidence-Based Practice Committee that works to meet compliance and competence requirements.
“Recently, this group developed an assessment tool that helps identify the struggles clients face; implemented a new referral system to connect clients with outside resources; and updated our current treatment plan to make it more client-centered,” she said.
Sullivan emphasized that she will miss “working with the amazing staff who have become like family. And most of all, I will miss seeing clients who make progress on their journey to live a better life.”
Julie Kramp, The Center’s executive director, said Sullivan “absolutely changed our organization for the better. Gail played an instrumental role in providing more services, more personnel and more training.
“Because of her participation in all these programs, clients are finding access to the support they need. Gail helped build a solid foundation here and The Center is stronger because of her.”
The Center for Counseling & Consultation is a Community Mental Health Center serving Barton, Pawnee, Rice and Stafford counties. Professionally trained personnel offer: individual and group therapy; marriage and family counseling; community-support services; community-based services; psychosocial rehabilitation; peer support; and medication management. The confidential 24/7 crisis hotline number is 800-875-2544.
