Beginning this week, free walk-in counseling and referral services are being offered at the Eugene Public Library, downtown. It’s part of a one-year project between the library and the White Bird Clinic. KLCC’s Brian Bull reports.
There will be two White Bird Clinic staffers in a designated room, open to those needing help. Alese Colehour is the clinic’s Outreach Program Coordinator.
“We wanted a counseling service that was available to absolutely anybody in the county," Colehour tells KLCC. "It’s not scheduled, it’s not ongoing care.
"Last minute, you’re having a hard day and you wanna reach out to somebody, you can chat with us for any length of time that you need.”
The Eugene Public Library hosts the service Monday through Thursday evenings, and Saturday. LaVena Nohrenberg is the library’s Customer Experience Manager.
“We have over 3,000 people a day coming here to this location. So already lots of people have said, ‘I can get here, I find this to be accessible, I find it to be welcoming.’ So it’s a natural fit.”
Lane County Health and Human Services provided $50,000 in grant money for the service. Coordinators hope it’ll be successful enough to warrant further funding.
Hours are Mondays through Thursdays, from 5:30-7:30pm, and Saturdays from 11:30am-5:30pm.
Copyright 2018, KLCC.
