Bakersfield is losing one of its much needed family counseling providers after more than 20 years in business.
Haven Counseling Center, which has been known as the Kern Child Abuse Prevention Council in the past, is losing funding and will close their doors.
In 1981, the Haven House opened to provide families stress counseling when they experienced abusive situations, usually involving children.
They need nearly $1 million to continue operating, but the state has cut the money.
"They gave me the strength and the love that I needed to get me though everything I have been through with my daughter." Last year, Katy Munchalfen's daughter was taken from her and put into foster care. She was ordered to take parenting classes, but everywhere she went had a several months waiting list.
Then she found Haven Counseling Center.
"Of everything that I have gone through, if I didn't have them to lean on to help me, guide me, I would have failed honestly," said Munchalfen.
Munchalfen gets guided visitation with her daughter through the Haven center where they get one-on-one type support and counseling.
Haven Counseling Center operates a house on H Street that looks just like a normal home with a kitchen, living room and play structure in the backyard. It gives families a normal, family-type environment to interact and learn.
But, all of these services cost money and without state funding the doors will close.
"Well, they did an audit back in October, and they found some bookkeeping issues. It had nothing to do with the provision of services to clients, and it didn't really have to do with state funds, bookkeeping issues about some fees that were collected from clients that come in," said Sam Jenkins, Vice President, Haven Counseling Center.
The center helps more than 200 families per year.
They have four case managers and several support staff members. But, come next month, they will all be out of a job, and the people who rely on them for support will have to look elsewhere.
The center received a 30-day notice that it would lose funding this month. It will close its doors on February 22nd.
