Trained Volunteers as Mental Health Counselors: Addressing the Enormous Shortage of Trained Counselors

In: Affilia: journal of women and social work, Volume 20, Issue 4, p. 476-484

Abstract

The spirit of service and volunteering in nonprofit and community-based organizations has been a staple of American life for hundreds of years. Although courts have referred clients to mental health agencies since the end of the 19th century, volunteers who are trained mental health counselors are a phenomenon that agencies have only recently used to address both court-ordered and other referrals. This article highlights one successful countywide model that can be replicated nationwide and can be a powerful tool in any community.