ORGANIZATION AND HISTORY

The Center for Human Resources (CHR)   is a private, not-for-profit corporation chartered in Michigan for the purpose of providing a variety of human services to the people of St. Clair County.  The Center is licensed by the Michigan Department of Public Health (Bureau for Substance Abuse Services) as a provider of substance abuse treatment and prevention services.  In addition, The Center's clinical programs are accredited by CARF.

In 1969 a group of concerned professional and lay-persons formed a committee to address the rising substance abuse problems of St. Clair County.  The committee,  with the help of groups like the Kiwanis Club and the Citizens for Peace established a volunteer organization (Anonymous Information on Drugs A.I.D.) offering a hot-line for crisis counseling and substance information services.  The organization grew throughout the 1970's developing into a comprehensive crisis intervention center.

 In 1971 the first efforts at providing treatment services for drug abusers began with the creation of the Rehabilitation Action Program (R.A.P.).   A methadone maintenance program for heroin addicts, R.A.P.  was supported by     charitable contributions and government grants.  By the late 1970's  heroin addiction declined and in 1977 the Substance Abuse Services Center was established to treat other types of drug abuse.   In 1979 the name was changed to The Center for Drug Concerns. 

During this period A.I.D. had become the Information, Referral and Crisis Center (I.R.C.C.) and had grown to be a multi-service agency and a twenty-four (24)  hour crisis center.  The quality of services had improved to the point that I.R.C.C. became the first crisis center in Michigan to be certified by the state.

 In 1981 I.R.C.C. and the Center for Drug Concerns merged to form The Center for Human Resources .  From similar beginnings, the two (2) programs had grown into one agency providing comprehensive Crisis Intervention, Substance Abuse Counseling and Prevention Services.  CHR, funded and supported by the Ganett Foundation, started the first Employee Assistance Program (EAP) in St. Clair County in 1986.  Employers, both public and private, were invited to join the program at no cost for the first year.  Subsequently, they were charged a fee per employee per year.  CHR continues to provide EAP services to over four thousand (4,000) employees and their dependents throughout St. Clair County. 

As the problems of homelessness beset the Port Huron Area, as they did nationwide in the mid 1980's, CHR took the lead in developing a coalition of organizations to address the needs of individuals in St. Clair County.  This coalition included St. Clair County Community Mental Health, Department of Social Services (now Family Independence Agency), United Way and the DARES Shelter (now Safe Horizons) .  The result of this effort was the establishment of the Pathway Shelter in the early 1990's.

 In 2001 CHR expanded its accreditation with CARF, The Rehabilitation Commission.    The purpose of this initiative was to expand the base of services offered to the community through the creation of a full-service outpatient behavioral health care provider. 

This step has allowed CHR to offer comprehensive services to the entire family. Consequently, when an individual seeks services at CHR for substance abuse or mental health treatment, CHR staff can offer support and treatment to the entire family, thereby greatly increasing the odds of favorable treatment outcomes.  CHR is the single largest public funded outpatient substance abuse provider in the five (5) counties of the Thumb region.  In Fiscal Year 2002/03, CHR provided seven thousand ninety-four  (7,094) hours of substance abuse treatment services.   

CHR utilizes professional and para-professional staff and professional consultants from mental health, psychiatry and medicine to deliver these vital community services.  Currently, CHR employees ten  (10) master level therapists, a psychiatrist, a psychologist,  a Clinical Supervisor, an Employee Assistance Program Coordinator, a Resource Coordinator and various  support staff.  The Employee Assistance Program Coordinator provides oversight for the  Prevention Department.

 The Center is organized as a private, non-profit corporation.  Overall direction and policy setting is carried out by the Board of Directors.  The Board, in turn, delegates administrative authority to the Executive Director  who is responsible for overseeing the day-to-day operations of the organization

The Mission of The Center for Human Resources is to provide quality behavioral health care to individuals and families through information and referral, prevention and  treatment