State Approves Merger of Long Beach and Port Counseling Centers

The New York Department of State approved the merger of Long Beach Reach and Port Counseling Center, according to Long Beach Reach Executive Director Joseph Smith.

Located at 225 Main St. in Port Washington, the Port Counseling Center is a comprehensive, multi-faceted, community based program, which will continue as a Division of Long Beach Reach, Inc. The center will provide chemical dependency treatment services to Nassau County residents in both English and Spanish. Port counseling treats Port Washington individuals suffering from substance abuse as well as for their families and significant others.

Port Alert, the former name of Port Counseling Center, Inc. was founded in 1970 as a result of a grassroots movement by townspeople in the late 1960's, according to its website.

The merger allows the Port Counseling Center to expand their services to provide psychiatric consultations and medication management for clients who have co-occurring psychiatric illnesses, including: depression, anxiety and bipolar disorder. Two clinical psychologists have been hired to implement the expanded and enhanced services. The center additionally has launched a support group for clients who have co-occurring disorders as well as anger management treatment for substance users and DWI/DUI education programs.

Since its inception in 1970, Long Beach Reach, located at 2-12 W. Park Ave., has provided counseling services for residents of the Long Beach, Lido Beach, Atlantic Beach and Point Lookout areas. Long Beach Reach offers a drug and alcohol treatment and prevention program, a juvenile justice program, a youth pregnancy and parenting program for individuals and families and the Harriet Eisman Community School — a progressive, alternative, non-public high school. Its mission is to engage individuals and families and assist in developing their self-esteem and self-awareness through counseling and professional support.