About Us

Our Agency, Its Roots and Our Mission

The Clara Martin Center (known as Orange County Mental Health Services, Inc. prior to 1993) was founded as one of 10 mental health agencies organized by Vermont Statute in 1966. Local clergy and social service professionals saw a need for supportive counseling services in the community as an alternative to placement of persons at the Vermont State Hospital. The Clara Martin Center's programs serve children, families, and individuals coping with behavioral challenges, emotional stress, mental illness, and alcohol and other drug problems.

The Clara Martin Center is a community based, non-profit organization that provides acute and long-term behavioral health care services. We strive to be consumer-sensitive, cost-effective, and outcome-based.

Our Services

Services are confidential and include, but are not limited to:

• Counseling
• Psychiatric Services
• Consultations
• Short-term crisis intervention
• Education for families related to emotional and behavioral challenges
• Evaluations
• Respite care
• Housing
• Assistance in obtaining disability benefits
• Help with finding and keeping employment
• Other outreach and home-based services
• Alcohol and drug treatment
• A walk-in clinic
• A 24-hour emergency service system

Our Quality Standards

The Clara Martin Center provides mental health services focused on community integration, coping, enhanced functioning and improved quality of life. Our agency is committed to providing quality services and extending its services to near by communities to ensure a continuum of care.

Since 1992, the Clara Martin Center has earned accreditation from The Commission on Accreditation of Rehabilitation Facilities, demonstrating quality rehabilitation programs measured by rigorous standards. A three-year accreditation, received in 2006, is a credit to the high caliber care and our commitment to continuous quality improvement.

Here What Employees Have to Say

"I have appreciated working as part of a team that is committed to providing an important service to the community. There is real sense of purpose that underlies what we do here and I feel that we’re good at keeping our service to the community as the priority. I have also appreciated the unique connection to the Orange County area that working at Clara Martin has given me. My clients over the years have come from all walks of life and it has been a rich and rewarding experience to be able to work with them." ~ Andrew Nuss, Adult Outpatient Clinician, has been with Clara Martin Center for 10 years.

_"Work at Clara Martin Center for 25 years and you are guaranteed to come across change. One thing that hasn’t changed in all the time I’ve been here is the remarkable care and compassion that I have witnessed from our staff and Board Members. They truly care about their community and the consumers we serve. The Board is made up of a wonderful group of community members that live in the service areas that Clara Martin Center covers. They know the feeling of their communities, and in turn, they know the concerns, needs and wants of their neighbors in those communities. They have a strong concern for our staff members, making sure they are supported in an ever changing environment so they stay strong for those that we serve. No one cares for some changes, but the changes at CMC are accomplished always with the needs of our community in mind. It pushes us forward to make us better and stronger for those we help." _~ Gretchen Linton, Administrative Assistant for the Community Support Program & Board of Trustees

"The Clara Martin Center has always been flexible and sensitive to my needs and obligations to my family. CMC sees me as an individual and not just an employee of the agency. I have had tremendous support and flexibility around getting supervision for my licensure. I am dually licensed which means I needed years of supervision by two different schools and I was able to obtain that all here. I feel CMC has been more than generous with taking my continuing education into consideration and I have had the opportunity to attend many trainings including week long intense courses. I feel heard and respected by my supervisor. CMC highly values good supervision which is something we need to be able to do these jobs. I have been lucky to have had the opportunity to advance my career over the years here from a clinician to a part time supervisor and on to a program coordinator. I have had the opportunity to supervise interns and effect change in people entering this field. The best part of my job is enjoying the people I work with. My co-workers are smart, funny, supportive and flexible and I could not do my job without them!" ~ Lexi Sargent, Care Coordinator, has been with Clara Martin Center for eleven years.

"It's a really supportive company to work for. They encourage me to develop my career and to try out new programs, allowing me to develop new skills. They also know that family comes first. I love coming to work every day and I wouldn't be here if it weren't for their support and understanding of me as an individual." ~ Amanda Higgins, Administrative Operations Manager, has been with Clara Martin Center for seventeen years.