After 56 years of providing mental health services to students, Ann Martin Center announces closure

Founded locally in 1963, to support the emotional health and school success for students and youth, the Ann Martin Center has offered services such as psychotherapy, educational therapy, diagnostic testing, and community education.

Supporters and community members were surprised and saddened to receive the following notice from the Ann Martin Center:

May 21, 2019 

Closure Announcement from Board of Directors:

The Board of Directors of Ann Martin Center has directed the Center’s management to wind down its operations effective June 30, 2019 (the end of its current fiscal year).  After careful consideration, the Board has determined that it is no longer in the best interests of the children and families the Center serves, its clinicians and other staff, the Alameda County Behavioral Health Care Services Agency, and the Center’s many supporters for it to remain in business.

The Board’s decision was driven by several factors, including the Center’s on-going operating losses over the last few years, the serious challenges faced by its clinicians in meeting the minimum budgeted service hours, the large turnover of its clinicians and other key personnel, the changing service delivery model for its outpatient program, the cost of its training program, and the recent concern expressed by ACBHCS about the Center’s ability to fulfill its contract obligations for the longer term.

The Center’s principle focus during the wind down will be continuity of care for the children and families we currently serve.  The Center intends to work closely with ACBHCS and our sister agencies in transferring responsibility for mental health services at the schools we serve and, where appropriate, in assisting our clinicians who wish to continue to provide services in those schools or for children and families in our out-patient program.

The Board recognizes the pain, disruption, and anxiety the wind down will create.  The members of the Board are as disappointed as everyone else that the Center, after more than 50 years of service and leadership, will no longer serve our community.  We have concluded, however, that the best way to support the community is for those services to be provided by other organizations.

The Board salutes the many dedicated professionals at AMC who have always delivered the highest quality services to children and families, and we thank the generous community members who have supported the Center over the years.

Learn more at www.annmartin.org.

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