Volunteers in Psychotherapy (VIP)

Volunteers in Psychotherapy is a nonprofit organization dedicated to providing affordable (no fee and low fee) and truly private psychotherapy for the community; in exchange for volunteer work clients donate elsewhere, privately, for the community nonprofit, charity or government agency of their choice.

Description:
VIP is a nonprofit alternative to the loss of client privacy and control experienced in psychotherapy provided under managed care -- as well as the lack of availability of private psychotherapy at public clinics and hospitals in the Hartford area. Many public clinics have reacted to cutbacks in funding by cutting access to private psychotherapy. VIP preserves privacy and access to private psychotherapy. No reports about people's therapy are sent to managed care or insurance companies; no documentation goes to employers. Through VIP everyone contributes to the common good. VIP clients provide substantial amounts of volunteer work in exchange for their therapy. VIP's Board (licensed psychologists, privacy specialists, a psychiatric nurse, a former psychiatric consumer/survivor, school superintendent and nonprofit specialists) volunteer their administrative and development work. For the first 10 years of VIP's existence, we donated office space and local phone. Similarly, there were no salaries for VIP's administrative work -- it was all volunteered. Only after 10 years did we start to pay our Director a nominal administrative salary of $9,000 yearly -- all of these cost savings have been meant to secure VIP's future. VIP psychotherapists are reimbursed at a modest rate (less than half the average private practice fee) for providing therapy.

We are eager to find new licensed psychotherapists who might participate; providing therapy to a small number of VIP clients through their private practices, and reimbursed by VIP (through charitable funds we raise). We're also eager to recruit new volunteers to assist VIP; people who might eventually join our Board of Directors.

History:
VIP was founded in 1998 and granted tax-exempt status by the IRS in 1999, after a pro bono pilot program in which free psychotherapy was provided, using the VIP model, for several years. VIP is the recipient of the Award for Distinguished Psychological Contribution in the Public Interest, given by the Connecticut Psychological Association and the 2003 award of the American Institute of Medical Education. VIP has been highlighted by the American Psychological Association, both in the APA national convention and its national publication "Monitor on Psychology." VIP has also been featured on National Public Radio, in national publications such as "Psychology Today," "The Family Therapy Networker" and "Worth Magazine." A feature article on VIP's unique charitable service was published in the "New York Times" in September, 2002. Among other, more recent media descriptions of VIP was the Hartford Courant's July, 2007 feature, "Healing Exchange."

VIP is entirely dependent on private donations and charitable foundations. See a complete listing on the VIP website: http://www.ctvip.org

Contact person: Richard Shulman, Psychologist, Director, (phone), (email)

Main office number: (860) 233-5115

Address:

7 South Main Street West Hartford, CT 06107 (See a map)

Web Site: http://www.ctvip.org

Directions:

West Hartford Center - 7 South Main is right on the Town Green (South Main intersection with Farmington Ave.)   Nearest Bus Stop: Farmington & Main, 1 minute walk For maps or information, please see http://www.cttransit.com/

Last updated on July 9, 2009