Multicultural Counseling Services

Culturally and Linguistically Appropriate

Lutheran Community Services Northwest provides mental health and related services that are trauma-informed and are culturally specific for refugees, asylees, immigrants, and other populations traditionally marginalized, such as Indigenous and Black people.

As an agency that resettles refugees, we understand special needs for mental health services presented by people from non dominant cultures. 

We welcome every person, provide a multicultural experience, and offer services in many languages. 

Our focus is on people who are clients of CareOregon, regardless of age (children, elders and everyone in between).

Four women who are racially diverse are conversing around a table in a professional setting.

Ready to Make an Appointment?

Talk to our intake team 503-731-9589

We accept Oregon Health Plan (Medicaid). At this time, we are unable to accept private health insurance. 

Uninsured? If you don’t qualify for Oregon Health Plan (Medicaid), please inquire about possible options for complimentary services.

In-person and telehealth appointments available. Call to schedule an appointment today.

 

 

We have two locations from which to serve you:

Lutheran Community Services — Portland
605 SE Cesar Estrada Chavez Blvd.
Portland, Oregon 97214

Lutheran Community Services — Beaverton
3800 SW Cedar Hills Blvd, Suite 288
Beaverton, Oregon 97005

In Crisis?

If you are a client of LCSNW and are having a mental health crisis, please call our crisis line:

503-713-6978

Other mental health crisis lines

If you are not a client of LCSNW and are having a mental health crisis in Multnomah County, please call the Multnomah County Crisis Line:

503-988-4888

If you are not a client of LCSNW and are having a mental health crisis in Clackamas County, please call the Clackamas County Crisis Line:

503-655-8685

National Suicide & Crisis Lifeline

Call or text 988 to talk to a professionally trained person who can help in a mental health crisis. Find details about this service online.

For more information on specific services, eligibility or to schedule an appointment, please call our intake team:

503-731-9589

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LCS Northwest services are provided without regard to race, ethnicity, national origin, religious belief, gender, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, age, marital status, ability, military or veteran status, source of income or political affiliation. This office serves all clients regardless of inability to pay. Discounts for essential services are offered depending upon family size and income.

 

 

Our providers and staff are from many countries and speak many languages 

With added support from interpreters, we are able to provide services in almost any language. When calling to schedule an appointment, we will ask you your language preference(s).

 

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Group session with people of different races and ages.

Our Services

  • Individual, family, and group mental health counseling.
  • Mental health therapy and counseling (assessment, diagnosis and treatment). 
  • Trauma recovery, youth and family transition, grief and loss, PTSD, depression, anxiety, 
  • Treatment for substance use disorder (SUD), including screening and assessment, counseling (group and individual), as well as DUII diversion and conviction 
  • Community-based wellness support groups
  • Art therapy
  • Support groups
  • Community-based services
  • Psychiatric services for our current clients, including medication management
  • Peer support services and case management

 

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Art therapy session involving women painting on a board.

Additional Services

Our case managers and peer support specialists can help you navigate systems by connecting you with other resources.

Here are some of the questions our case managers and support specialists will ask: 

  • Do you or your family have complicated medical needs? 
  • Do you need help understanding the school system?
  • Are you new here and in need of help adjusting?
  • We can assist you in applying for food and other benefits from state and federal agencies
  • Do you need household items?
  • And much more! Please call 503-731-9589 and let us know how we can assist. 

 

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Additional Information

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Pathways to Wellness

Pathways to Wellness: Integrating Refugee Health and Well-being (Pathways) supports the emotional well‐being of refugees by enhancing adjustment, increasing self‐sufficiency, and creating connections to the community. We use an innovative approach that identifies refugees with significant symptoms of depression, anxiety, and traumatic stress and connect them to the right care that promotes healing.

 

Refugee Health Screener-15 (RHS-15)

In partnership with Multnomah County Health Department (MCHD), we helped integrate refugee mental health screening (RHS-15) into the mandated physical health screening that all refugees undergo. Refugees who are positive on the mental health screening questionnaire are referred to us for centralized referral and care coordination. This results in early linkage to culturally-appropriate behavioral health treatment and better outcomes for refugee mental health.

 

Wellness and Adjustment Support Groups

Refugees often experience trauma from the resettlement process. To support refugee well being and integration, we offer adjustment support groups. We explore topics such as culture shock, the refugee experience and mental health. Some of our current groups include:

  • Karen Women’s Weaving Group
  • Garden Support Group and Wellness programing
  • New Arrival Adjustment Support Groups
  • Beaverton High School Newcomer Adjustment Support Groups


Refugee Peer Support Training for Professionals

We have adapted an 80-hour state approved peer support program for refugees. The curriculum trains Peer Support/Wellness Specialists in refugee specific emotional health promotion and peer-to-peer emotional support. A 40-hour version is also available.


Content focuses on skill development that decreases stigma while promoting self-care and coping skills. We work with professionals on providing psycho-education, patient navigation and care coordination, along with advocacy across service systems.


We offer trainings twice annually thanks to the support of Meyer Memorial Trust.

 

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Multidisciplinary Team

The Multidisciplinary Team (MDT) Counseling program, is grant funded through Multnomah county Aging, Disability and Veterans’ Services (ADVS). Our team is comprised of five mental health specialists who are based out of Lutheran Community Services Northwest. The Mental Health Specialists provide mental health guidance to the Multi-Disciplinary Team (MDT) at each of Multnomah County’s Aging, Disability and Veteran’s Services branches. We accept Mental Health referrals from Case Managers, APS investigators, Senior Centers and community partners.

 

Our team provides intakes, crisis management, outreach, assessments (including cognitive and risk), short-term counseling, treatment planning and referrals as appropriate. The program is designed to provide short term Mental Health services for clients who need help linking to other services, or who are not able to obtain those services elsewhere. The Mental Health Specialists work with clients who receive services through ADVS. Our services are free of charge. For more information, please call 503-231-7480

 

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Minority Aids Initiative Health Navigation

We work closely with HIV (+) refugees to provide culturally specific medical navigation and support. We partner with Oregon Health and Science University Partnership Project (PP) to promote the importance medical care and adherence to medications and to provide tools to help clients function at a level that supports their engagement in care. Special attention is given to empowering clients and their families to voice their own needs and concerns so that they can address their medical needs independently in the future.

We have seen significant strides in clients’ ability to manage the disease and their understanding that through medical treatment and good self care, they can improve their quality of life.

 

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Need more information?

Contact an office offering this program