What Mental Health Services Does Child & Family Services of Northwestern Michigan Offer?

Child & Family Services of Northwestern Michigan provides behavioral health services and counseling as part of a broader set of trauma-informed programs for children, adolescents, adults, and families. The organization is a private, nonprofit 501(c)(3) and is CARF-accredited, and it serves more than 30 counties from offices in Traverse City and Harbor Springs. If you are looking for counseling or behavioral health support in northwestern Michigan, you can contact the Traverse City or Harbor Springs office directly using the phone numbers below.

Mental Health and Counseling Services

The organization describes its approach as trauma-informed, meaning services are structured around helping people recover from difficult experiences such as abuse, neglect, poverty, or substance use. Its stated programs include:

• Behavioral health services — listed among the programs offered at the Traverse City location.
• Counseling — listed among the programs offered at the Harbor Springs location.
• Crisis respite programs — described as part of the organization's overall service set.
• Safe Haven — a program available at both the Traverse City and Harbor Springs offices.

These sit alongside child welfare programs (foster care and adoption), foster home licensing, and youth services, so mental health support is offered as one part of a continuum rather than as a standalone clinic.

Who the Services Are For

According to the organization, its programs are designed for children, adolescents, adults, and families facing challenges "beyond their control," including trauma from abuse, neglect, poverty, and substance use. The stated goal is to help these groups "grow, heal, and reach their full potential." In practice, this means:

• Children and adolescents — through youth services, foster care, adoption, and behavioral health programs.
• Adults — through counseling and behavioral health services.
• Families — through programs intended to strengthen and support the family unit as a whole.
• Youth in crisis — through Safe Haven and crisis respite programs.

Locations and Contact Information

Services are delivered from several sites. The two main offices and their listed programs are:

Each location listing includes a "Call us" prompt, which indicates that phone contact is the stated way to reach the office. The website does not publish an online intake form, walk-in hours, or a self-scheduling option in the material provided.

How to Get Started

1. Identify the program that matches your situation. For counseling or behavioral health, the Traverse City and Harbor Springs listings are the relevant entries. For youth crisis support, Safe Haven appears at both offices.
2. Call the office that offers that program. Use the phone number in the table above. The Traverse City number is 231-946-8975; the Harbor Springs number is 231-347-4463.
3. Expect to describe your situation. Because the organization frames its work around trauma and life transitions, the first conversation is likely to focus on what you or your family are facing and which program fits.
4. Ask about eligibility and next steps. The published material does not list eligibility rules, wait times, insurance requirements, or fees, so those details need to come from the office itself.

What CARF Accreditation and Nonprofit Status Tell You

Two details in the organization's own description are worth noting when evaluating care quality:

• CARF accreditation — The organization states that its services are CARF-accredited, which it describes as reflecting "a commitment to excellence in both clinical and administrative practices." CARF is an external accrediting body, so this is a third-party review rather than a self-assessment.
• 501(c)(3) nonprofit status — This means the organization is a tax-exempt charitable entity. It does not, by itself, indicate whether services are free or low-cost; the published material does not include pricing, insurance, or payment information.

A Practical Example

Suppose a parent in Traverse City is concerned about a teenager who has been withdrawn since a family crisis. Based on the published program list, the relevant starting point would be the Traverse City office at 3785 Veterans Dr., which lists Behavioral Health Services and Third Level Youth Services. The parent would call 231-946-8975, describe the situation, and ask whether the teen fits a behavioral health program or a youth services program, and what the next step is. If the family instead needed crisis support, Safe Haven is listed at the same office.

Key Takeaways

• Mental health support is offered through behavioral health services (Traverse City) and counseling (Harbor Springs), within a trauma-informed framework.
• Services target children, adolescents, adults, and families, including those affected by abuse, neglect, poverty, and substance use.
• Contact is by phone at the two main offices: 231-946-8975 (Traverse City) and 231-347-4463 (Harbor Springs).
• The organization is CARF-accredited and a 501(c)(3) nonprofit, serving 30+ counties since 1937.
• Details such as eligibility, cost, and wait times are not published in the available material and should be confirmed by calling.