Madonna University to provide free mental health services in southeast Michigan
LIVONIA — Madonna University’s Master of Science in Clinical Psychology program will soon begin offering no-cost psychotherapy services to metro Detroit residents.
The program’s aim is to help those aged 13 or older who wouldn’t otherwise be able to afford seeing a therapist, but is open to anyone seeking therapy. Services will come at no charge, regardless of one’s income or whether a patient has insurance.
“A lot of folks in underserved populations might get medicated and stabilized in an emergency room, but then there’s no follow up,” said Dr. Annamaria Silveri, a licensed psychologist who directs the program. “This will be quality therapy where they can come in every week for a 50-minute session.”
Master’s students Chuck DeCarlo, Chantele Fox, Stacie Pawlowski and Laura Westra will, with Silveri’s supervision, run every aspect of the clinic in the university’s Kresge Hall, which is near the corners of Levan and Schoolcraft roads.
Between the four students, the clinic will be able to see up to 40 clients for weekly, in-person therapy at no cost. Silveri said the program revives a similar service the university offered years ago and helps meet a need for mental health services in the community.
“It’s part of Madonna’s mission to provide services to people who cannot afford them,” she said. “This is such a big issue right now in our society. We need to take it more seriously.”
DeCarlo said, as a student, the clinic offers a more hands-on experience than most practicum programs. The four students all said they feel a sense of pride in being the clinic’s first staff and have put thought into every aspect of the clinic from client assignments to office décor.
“We’re going to leave and others will follow in behind us,” Fox said. “We’ll have started this.”
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The university plans to grow the clinic in future years to include more master’s students and expand the client base. Students like Fox and Westra think the clinic has potential to aid other local institutions like hospitals and substance abuse programs by providing follow-up care.
“Having the ability to point people to a no-cost, in-person clinic will be huge for recovery programs,” Westra said. “People can come home, transition back into their world and come here without having to worry about the bill.”
Silveri said there’s a meaningful difference between psychotherapy, which can include long-term treatment and target complex mental health challenges, and counseling, which is generally geared toward specific short-term goals.
She hopes the program offers a quality service that can be hard to afford without insurance to people who need and prepares a fleet of students who can eventually open their own offices. People interested in receiving services from the clinic can call 734-432-5629.
“They’re getting firsthand experience on how a business is run,” Silveri said. “When they’re done, they’ll have a state license and would be able to run a private practice if they wanted to.”
Contact reporter Shelby Tankersley at [email protected] or 734-331-0659.
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