Frequently Asked Questions

Getting Started

Do I need a referral to receive counseling at Hope?

No. We accept referrals from doctors, schools, churches, agencies, and other providers, but a referral is not required. Individuals and families are welcome to contact Hope directly to request counseling services.

How do I schedule an appointment?

The first step is to contact our office by phone, through our website, or by submitting a request for services. Our team will gather basic information, discuss availability, and help determine the best next step based on your needs, schedule, and the services we offer.

Does submitting a request guarantee an appointment time?

No. Submitting a request or joining the waitlist does not guarantee your preferred appointment slot. Appointment availability depends on counselor openings, scheduling needs, service fit, and other factors.

How does the waitlist work?

When we do not have an immediate opening, we may place you on our waitlist. As openings become available, our team works through the waitlist while considering counselor availability, client needs, requested appointment times, and the best clinical fit.

Services We Do and Do Not Provide

Do you provide emergency services?

No. Hope Counseling Center is an outpatient counseling center and does not provide emergency or crisis-response services.

If you or someone else is in immediate danger, call 911 or go to the nearest emergency room. If you are experiencing a mental health crisis, suicidal thoughts, or emotional distress, call or text 988 to reach the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline, available 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

Adults age 18 and older may also visit the Burrell Behavioral Health Behavioral Crisis Center in Springfield. This walk-in facility provides immediate crisis care, brief therapy, peer support, psychiatric medication support, medication-assisted treatment for opioid use, short-term observation, and referrals for follow-up treatment. No referral is required.

Walk-in location: 800 S. Park Ave, Springfield, MO 65802

Do you prescribe medication?

No. Hope does not prescribe medication. Our counselors provide therapy services only. If medication may be helpful, we can encourage you to speak with your primary care provider or connect with a psychiatric provider.

Do you offer psychiatric services?

At this time, Hope does not offer psychiatric medication management, psychological testing, or psychiatric evaluations. This may be something we explore in the future, but it is not currently part of our services.

Will Hope refer me somewhere else if needed?

Certain needs or presentations may require a higher level of care or a specialist outside of what Hope provides. If that happens, we will do our best to help guide you toward an appropriate referral.

Court, Legal, and Documentation Requests

What is Hope’s policy on court involvement?

Hope Counseling Center provides counseling services, not legal or forensic services. Our counselors do not make custody recommendations, provide legal opinions, or serve as forensic evaluators.

If records, testimony, subpoenas, or court-related documentation are requested, additional policies and fees may apply. Clients should contact our office for more information before involving Hope in any court-related matter.

Can Hope provide emotional support animal letters?

Hope may consider emotional support animal documentation only for established clients when it is clinically appropriate. Hope is not a one-visit counseling center for ESA letters, and beginning services does not guarantee that a letter will be provided.

Animals in the Office

Are service animals allowed inside Hope?

Yes. Hope follows applicable service animal laws. Under the ADA, service animals are generally dogs that are individually trained to perform work or tasks for a person with a disability. Emotional support animals are different from service animals under the ADA. Service animals are not required to have special certification, licensing, or a vest.

Clients are responsible for keeping the service animal under control while inside the office.

Are emotional support animals allowed inside?

Emotional support animals are not the same as service animals under the ADA. Because Hope is a counseling center, emotional support animals are not automatically permitted in the office. Please contact our team before bringing any animal that is not a trained service animal.