Community Legal Services And Counseling Center (CLSACC) is celebrating 35 years of providing essential services to the community. CLSACC, founded as Cambridgeport Problem Center in 1970, provides free legal assistance and affordable mental health counseling to people with low incomes.
CLSACC has always been an organization of volunteer professionals. Today, CLSACC is the only volunteer-based agency of its kind in the area, combining legal assistance and mental health counseling. Staff and volunteers provide services at CLSACC. Our unique interdisciplinary approach has enabled CLSACC to keep pace with the ever- changing and inter-related needs of our clients.
The center serves 1,100 clients each year and benefits an additional 2,400 children and other family members. CLSACC serves battered women and abused children, women and children living in poverty, families and senior citizens at risk of homelessness, refugees/immigrants, and people with disabilities. The Center also serves people who suffer from mental illness which affects their ability to function in the community.
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CLSACC provides most of its services through the efforts of volunteer lawyer and counselors. In 2005 volunteer lawyers handled 30% of CLSACC's cases and 91% of counseling services were handled by volunteer mental health professionals. Together with law students, interns and volunteer paralegals these dedicated individuals donated over 13,200 hours of services last year.
Volunteer lawyers are members of the Massachusetts bar. Volunteer counselors are licensed clinical social workers, psychologists, and mental health counselors.
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The 17-member Board of lawyers, mental health professionals, and client representatives, including former volunteers with strong ties to CLSACC, sets policy, approves the annual budget, hires senior staff and engages in fundraising activities. This past year members of CLSACC’s Board, along with staff and other stakeholders completed a Strategic Plan.
More than half of the Directors have served on the Board for over a decade. CLSACC also has a host of committees who work with and report to the full Board, including Fundraising, Human Resources, Facilities, Technology and Executive.
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CLSACC's operating budget of $676,800 is funded by a variety of sources: Massachusetts Legal Assistance Corporation, United Way of Massachusetts Bay, the Massachusetts and Boston Bar Foundations, the City of Cambridge, private foundations, law firms, and individual contributors. We are always seeking new sources of support - please visit the "Giving" section of of website to learn the many ways you can help!
CLSACC is an EEO/FEP, is accessible to person's with disabilities, and is committed to promoting diversity in our work place.
This agency supported by:
