Mission

Pacific Center for Human Growth’s mission is to foster and enhance the well-being and self respect of LGBTQ youth, seniors, and adults through the delivery of LGBTQ competent mental health and wellness services, and to increase access to LGBTQ competent mental health services through the cultivation of a strong community of LGBTQ-proficient mental health care professionals.

Programs

• Licensed mental health services for approximately 450 people annually
• Accredited training for graduate-level student intern therapists
• Mental health support programs for HIV+ men living in Alameda County
• Youth services, including a youth-led speaker’s bureau (reaching over 700 students and teachers annually) and a safe-space drop-in program weekdays (serving 50+ youth)
• 12-15 peer support groups that are volunteer-led, with over 300 participant

Organizational Background

Founded in 1973, Pacific Center for Human Growth is the oldest LGBTQ center in the Bay Area, the third oldest in the nation and operates the only sliding scale mental health clinic for LGBTQ people and their families in Alameda County. Pacific Center is almost entirely volunteer-driven, with a supporting crew of six part-time staff members.

Utilizing over 100 volunteers (board of directors, clinical supervisors and trainers, peer group facilitators, clinical interns, front desk and event volunteers), Pacific Center provides direct services for the Alameda County and greater East Bay LGBTQ communities. We currently serve over 1,500 people a year.