Most people think of the Robeson Family Counseling Center as a place that provides counseling. But there is a lot more to know about us. This Q & A page will answer many of your questions.

What is our Purpose?

Simply put, the Robeson Family Counseling Center strengthens family life among people living in Robeson County, North Carolina, and the surrounding area. We do this through counseling, educational events, and a variety of specialized services.

Who sponsors the Center? The Center is a nonprofit agency serving everyone. We are sponsored through a cooperative effort of the Robeson County area Christian congregations. The fund raising efforts of our Board of Directors also support us. How are we managed? A Board of Directors manages the Center. Board members are recruited from community leaders and supporting congregations. The Board determines the services we provide, sets plans and policies, oversees the work of the Center and its director, raises funds, and manages the financial operation of the Center.

Who are Baptist Hospital CareNet Counseling Centers?

The Robeson Family Counseling Center is part of a statewide network of pastoral counseling centers known as Baptist Hospital CareNet Counseling Centers. This organization is a nonprofit subsidiary of North Carolina Baptist Hospital located in Winston-Salem, North Carolina. It is one of the major teaching hospitals in the state. All counselors are employees of North Carolina Baptist Hospital, and the professional counseling services are provided by the CareNet organization.

What is the Samaritan Institute?

The Center is affiliated with the Samaritan Institute. This organization is a national alliance of nonprofit pastoral counseling centers across the United States. It sets standards, provides accreditation, promotes continuing education, and generates professional exchange among the Centers of the network.

What is faith-based Counseling?

The counseling provided by the Robeson Family Counseling Center is faith-based. We believe that religious faith is a powerful resource in helping people deal with their problems. Our counselors do not impose their own religious beliefs on to clients. We respect the religious faith of each client and we work to integrate the client's beliefs into the counseling process. We work comfortably with persons of all faiths.

The majority of our counselors and clients are Christian. Thus, most of our counseling is Christian in nature.

What is a pastoral counseling center?

The Center is a pastoral counseling center. What does that mean? It does not mean that we are staffed exclusively with pastoral counselors (persons with theological as well as mental health training) although we do have pastoral counselors. Neither does it mean that we serve only pastors, although we do give special attention to serving clergy families.

What it means is that our counseling is pastoral in nature. We believe that people function best when all aspects of their lives -- physical, mental, and spiritual -- are fully utilized. We integrate all of these areas into the counseling that we provide. All counselors at our Center subscribe to this approach and provide counseling that includes a spiritual emphasis.

How do we work with congregations?

The Center views itself as a partner in pastoral care with the pastors of the community. We work with the most acute problems that pastors do not have the time or experience to treat. We are available for consultation with the pastor, and we encourage clients to seek spiritual guidance from their pastor and to join actively in the life of their congregation. We give priority to referrals from pastors and congregations who provide financial support for the operation of the Center.

How can a congregation partner with the Robeson Family Counseling Center?

The pastor or representative of any congregation interested in becoming a partner with the Robeson Family Counseling Center can contact the Center director at 910-738-8558 for information. We welcome the close working relationship that this alliance brings, and the congregation essentially gains a group of faith-based counselors as a part of its staff.

Does the center discriminate?

Absolutely not! We encourage anyone to make use of our services -- regardless of gender, race, religion, or physical disability. We operate with the deepest regard for the worth of every person.

How do we get money to operate the Center?

We get money in two ways. One is through the fees that we collect. These go to Baptist Hospital CareNet Counseling Centers who pay the salaries of our counselors and provide the many clinical services necessary to insure that quality counseling is provided. But since much of our counseling is supplemented (provided at substantially reduced costs to clients who could not otherwise afford counseling), they do not generate enough funds to cover the costs of operating the Center.

The second way that we get money is through contributions. These are funds given to us by churches, the business community, civic organizations, and concerned individuals. The Board of Directors raises money through fund raising events such as our Annual Agape Celebration each spring and our Friends of the Center Campaign each winter.

These contributions pay for the operation of the physical plant, the salaries of our clerical staff, and the many practical requirements for providing counseling services. Because we raise these funds we can afford to provide the many free counseling hours to clients.

What is the Client Aid Fund?

The Center maintains the Client Aid Fund. When a client cannot afford the minimum fee set by our Board of Directors, we draw from this fund to pay for the counseling. There is a limit on the amount of funds that a client can draw from this fund each year, but the limit is generous and few clients reach their limit.

Do we disclose financial information?

We publish full information concerning our funds in an Annual Report, and a copy of the Annual Report is available to anyone who requests it. We provide that information regularly to our Board of Directors.

Where are we located?

Please see the directions page or MapQuest to the Center at 202 W 15th St Lumberton, NC 28358-4566
We also have locations in Lumberton, Pembroke, Laurinburg, and Rockingham. Call us for more information.

When is counseling available?

The Center is usually open Monday-Thursday 9:00AM – 7:00PM by appointment and Friday 9:00 – 1:00 by appointment.

When the Center is closed, we maintain an answering machine to take messages. We also have a counselor on call for clients who experience emergencies during hours when the Center is closed. Clients who have an emergency can call our Answering Service.

Who Provides the Counseling?

Counseling is provided by state licensed counselors from one of several mental health disciplines. They include pastoral counselors, marriage and family therapists, licensed professional counselors, and substance abuse counselors. Our counselors hold a Masters and/or Doctorate in their fields. Meet the staff

Is there anyone who can't use the Center?

Anyone who seeks counseling that the Center is equipped to provide will be served. We do not turn people away because they can't afford it. Check the section on costs for full information about the fees that we charge. Some clients require medical support such as medication and/or hospitalization. If we feel that a person is likely to require these medical services and has no means of acquiring them, we cannot serve them. We will do our best to refer the individual to an agency that can provide such medical services.

Do we provide medications?

A medical doctor must prescribe medications, and we do not have a physician on our staff. We do have a consulting psychiatrist who works closely the Center and provides medication and hospitalization if the need arises. We can also work with the personal physician of the client if that is more appropriate. Payment for physician services are the client's responsibility and they are not a part of the arrangements with the center.

What types of counseling are provided?

We have counselors with many types of expertise, and we provide many types of counseling. Individuals often seek our help in dealing with such problems as depression, anxiety, stress, coping with difficult situations, religious matters, adjustment to divorce, and other crises in their lives. Couples seek help with a wide variety of relationship problems. Families often seek help dealing with parent-child issues, ADD, and ADHD, behavioral problems of their children, helping children who have been abused in some way, family conflict, and other matters that threaten the life of the family.

Do we take insurance?

We are providers for many health insurance companies and managed care organizations. Actually, there are countless insurance arrangements and these are constantly changing. If you have mental health insurance coverage, you can call the Center and give us specific information about your plan. We will then check with your insurance company and determine what, if any, coverage you have and what the actual cost to you will be.

Some insurance companies and managed care organizations limit the number of providers. Thus, sometimes we have certain counselors who are providers for a company and other counselors who are not providers. When insurance coverage is used, our standard fees apply. We are Tricare providers.

How does one make an appointment?

Call the Robeson Family Counseling Center at 910-738-8558 for information or an appointment. Your pastor, medical doctor, school, or anyone providing other types of services for you can also refer you for services.