Newaygo Outpatient Counseling Services

Arbor Circle provides person-centered counseling and recovery services for children, youth, adults, and families in Newaygo County (with a school-based site serving Hesperia in Oceana County). Care includes assessments; individual, family, and group therapy; Medication-Assisted Treatment (MAT); recovery coaching; and women-specific programming. Services happen where people are—at the Newaygo outpatient office, Patricia St. Clair Elementary (on-site school therapy), the City of Newaygo and City of Fremont Police Departments (police social work), and via telehealth to reduce transportation and scheduling barriers. Most clients are seen 1–4 times per month using evidence-based approaches (CBT, motivational interviewing, solution-focused therapy), with progress tracked through standardized tools like the PHQ-9, GAD-7, and Brief Addiction Monitor (BAM).

The program focuses on neighbors who are uninsured/under-insured and ALICE, with 38% of clients living on under $15,000/year. Outcomes are strong: 100% of surveyed clients said they like the services and feel equipped to manage their condition; among clients with follow-up BAM reviews, 95% reported no substance use, 100% moved to low-risk scores, and 55% improved protective factors. Close coordination with Newaygo Community Mental Health (for MAT), local schools, and police departments ensures timely, wraparound support.

Why United Way supports it
Access to timely, affordable behavioral health care is essential for families to be stable and thrive—especially in rural communities. This program directly advances our Healthy Families / Mental Health priority by reducing barriers to care, addressing addiction and co-occurring conditions, and delivering measurable outcomes for ALICE households across Newaygo and northern Oceana.