When Inland Empire residents seek care for trauma and mental health care support, they often turn to a trusted partner: Citrus Counseling Services (CCS).

For 48 years, this nonprofit behavioral health clinic has served families throughout San Bernardino and Riverside counties. Despite changes in name, CCS has always remained committed to providing timely, effective and culturally competent care to clients of all backgrounds.

“The need for behavioral health services is high and qualified providers who reflect the diverse population we serve are in short supply,” said Roger Uminski II, CEO of Citrus Counseling Services. “Many in our community face barriers to treatment due to limited resources, resulting in long waitlists, provider shortages and financial or cultural obstacles.”

CCS aims to decrease barriers by providing low – no-cost care to individuals and families who face severe mental and behavioral health challenges. 

“We have a long-term plan to improve culturally competent access to care by supporting local community members to become therapists,” shared Uminski.

To meet these needs, CCS therapists use specialized training and knowledge of community resources to support clients with mild to severe behavioral health diagnoses. CCS provides a comprehensive range of services, including:

Therapy for Persons with Severe Mental Illness:

• Case management including social support services referral and coordination
• Psychiatric medical management
• Therapy for individuals with severe mental illness

Therapy for Children Ages 0–8

• Children who have been abused or neglected / at risk for abuse or neglect
• Specialized therapy techniques for this age group
• Specialized training for caregivers
• Integrated Occupational and Speech Therapy to address developmental delays in this population

Therapy for School‑Aged Children, 8–18

• Therapy for children and their families
• Outreach to unserved and underserved populations
• Specialized services for those who have been victims, suspected victims, or witnesses of crime

Trauma Services

• Crisis response services
• Services for those experiencing secondary trauma
• Operation of the only Trauma Recovery Center (TRC) in San Bernardino County
  •  Serving victims of violent crime and their families
  •  TRC treatment model first ensures basic needs are met (food, shelter, clothing, transportation, etc.) prior to offering behavioral health services
  • Specialized behavioral health therapy
  • Provide support during court appearances

CCS plays a vital role during crises experienced at home, in community and even in the workplace. When an employee at a local nonprofit died from injuries sustained in a violent crime witnessed by colleagues, the agency’s executive director contacted CCS for trauma and grief support. CCS promptly sent two Trauma Services therapists, advised the executive director on delivering the news and remained on-site to support staff. Several close relatives of the employee also worked at the organization and received TRC services at no cost, along with other affected employees. Those most impacted continue to receive therapy. The executive director expressed deep appreciation for CCS’s timely and compassionate response. This type of immediate service delivery and compassionate care is at the core of Citrus Counseling Services.

CCS is uniquely positioned to provide specialized therapeutic services to young children and trauma survivors at no cost. About 90% of CCS clients use Medi-Cal, and the clinic connects clients to additional resources beyond mental health care.

The organization operates a Community Action Partnership USDA food distribution site at its Crestline clinic and collaborates with local nonprofits and the District Attorney’s Office to coordinate supportive services. While CCS serves both San Bernardino and Riverside counties, its primary focus is on San Bernardino County’s high desert, mountain and east valley communities.

Each year, CCS provides over 20,000 direct service hours to more than 1,000 clients. At the Crestline clinic, CCS distributes over 2,600 pounds of food monthly, supporting about 110 households and 280 individuals.

In 2025, CCS received a responsive grant from IEHP Foundation to help expand the local therapist workforce and increase diversity. To address the clinician shortage, CCS provides Trainees (graduate students) and Associates (pre-licensed therapists) with the clinical experience required for licensure. The estimated annual cost to support each Trainee or Associate, including supervision, training and mentoring, is about $20,000.

Uminski noted that the grant significantly offsets annual costs, enabling CCS to continue investing in workforce development. CCS also values its partnerships with organizations such as Health Career Connection, which connects medical and behavioral health students to internships and fellowships.

“CCS is working with HCC to provide an internship for an undergraduate student this summer,” said Uminski. “This will encourage young people from the community to consider a career in behavioral health.”

Citrus Counseling Services remains a trusted resource, ready to support the community when help and care are needed most.

To learn more about Citrus Counseling Services, visit https://ccs-cares.org/