LOCAL RESOURCES PAPER 1
Local Resources Paper
Michael Simmons
School of Behavioral Sciences, Liberty University
Welcome to Albany, Georgia, also known as the “Good life” city. Albany is a small
southern town in Southwest Georgia that was founded in 1836 by Nelson Tift as a cotton
market on the Flint River. It was initially envisioned as a trade center like Albany, New York, and
grew to become a significant transportation hub due to its location and later development of
rail lines. The city played a key role in the Civil War as a Confederate supply center and
experienced significant growth and change throughout the 20th century, including the Civil
Rights Movement (datausa.com)
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According to datausa.ga, Albany has a population of about 68,000 people. The city’s
ethnicity is 75% black or African American, about 18% White, and the remainder are Hispanic
and other. The medium household income is around $45,000. The median age is 35 years old.
Economically, the largest industries in Albany are health care, retail, and manufacturing. The
unemployment rate in Albany is around 5% with a labor force of about 30,000 people.
Albany, Georgia, exhibits a crime rate that surpasses both the national average and other
cities within the state of Georgia. Notably, Albany experiences elevated rates of violent and
property crimes. According to the local news channel in Albany, WALB News 10 reported that
over 1,000 crimes were reported between January and March of this year. (WALB.com) There
were 16 murders last year. That is 3 times higher than the national average per 1,000 people.
The most common education level by the working population of Albany is a high school
diploma at 85%. There is one major college in the city. Albany State University is a Historically
Black College (HBCU) that averages around 6,500 students offering undergraduate and graduate
degrees. There is also a technical college within the city (Albany Technical College).
In comparison, this town has its share of problems. Income is low and crime is high. The
city is diverse mostly from a racial standpoint and not so much from a cultural standpoint. There
is not a large population of foreigners to speak of. However, the need for multiculturally
oriented human services professionals is in high demand. There are many people within the
area that depend on some type of social services for quality-of-life support. This report will
focus on three of the most prominent multicultural human services centers located in the area.
The first one is Aspire Behavioral Health &DD Services. Second, is the Family Literacy
Connection, and the third center is Clarvida of Georgia.
Aspire Behavioral Health & DD Services
Aspire (Albany Area Community Service Board) is a public, non-profit organization
dedicated to delivering mental health, addictive disease, and developmental disability services
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to the residents of Albany, (Dougherty County) and the surrounding Counties. Formally known
as Northeast Georgia Center, Aspire was formed in 1994. Aspire Behavioral Health and
Developmental Disability Services offers the necessary opportunities and support for individuals
to take their first steps toward improving behavioral health and addressing developmental
disability challenges (aspirebhdd.org).
Aspire is located at 601 West 11th Avenue Albany, GA and can be reached by phone at
(229) 430-1842. They offer walk-in crises assessment services 24 hours a day. Aspire serves
people of all ages offering behavioral health services, addictive diseases, developmental
disabilities, residential treatment and outpatient treatments.
Aspire Behavioral Health operates on a self-pay model and is considered out-of-network
with most insurers. Fees can range from $175-$250 for initial evaluations to $140-$200 for 45–
60-minute therapy sessions. They provide multiple payment options, and if the patient has
insurance, the patient may be eligible for some coverage. There is also, financial aide available
for those that qualify. It is advisable to contact them directly for detailed fee information and to
discuss available payment options (aspirebhdd.org).
Family Literacy Connection
Family Literacy Connection is another great, local multiculturally oriented human
services 501C organization that has been serving the Albany and surrounding areas since 2002.
There mission statement reads “Family Literacy Connection helps disadvantaged families gain
stability, self-sufficiency, and success through a cluster of educational programs that target the
whole family.” (familyliteracy.com)
Located at 911 South McKinley Street, Albany, GA 31701, Family Literacy Connection
works with community partners to offer services to low-income families. Services offered are
early childhood education, adult education (GED prep classes) After school and Summer
programs for children with the focus on reading, homework help, exercise and STEAM based
activities. They offer parenting classes and provide resources such as housing assistance,
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financial budgeting and planning, continuing education, medical care for parents and children,
and nutrition assistance. These services can be offered at the client’s residence, at a community
location, and at the Family Literacy Center Connection location.
Family Literacy Connection offers a nationally recognized and evidence-based program
featuring certified parent educators. Families receive all four components of the program and
are connected with available services as required, including those related to economic,
environmental, and personal issues (familyliteracy.com)
There is no charge for services offered. All qualified families receive free services made
possible by the generous donations of local and state businesses and organizations. Some of the
donors include the United Way, Life Gate Church, LRA Constructors, Women’s Health
Professionals, and many more. Family Literacy Connection also receives some funding from the
state of Georgia and the federal government.
Family Literacy Connection is a great resource within the local community. Their focus is
on helping one family at a time achieve success and become productive members of society
through education, assistance, and local services. They partner with other resources within the
community to achieve success and stability within the family unit.
Clarvida
The last multiculturally oriented human services organization to be discussed is Clarvida
of Georgia. Clarvida of Georgia is a healthcare provider dedicated to empowering individuals
with mental illness to live fulfilling lives and thrive within their communities. They offer
comprehensive, evidence-based, and recovery-oriented care through various programs
tailored to meet diverse needs (Clarvida.com).
Located at 520 West Broad Ave. Albany, GA since 1999, they are just one of 16 locations
nationwide. Services offered include Outpatient services such as supporting individuals with
mental health or substance use challenges through various therapies and support programs.
They offer Assertive Care Treatment (ACT). This is an intensive community-based program for
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individuals with serious mental illnesses who have not benefited from traditional treatments.
They also offer employment support to help mentally challenged individuals find and maintain
employment. They also provide residential in-home care for some patients that need intensive
or semi-independent residential support for their recovery and self-sufficiency (Clarvida.com).
Clarvida provides some services for free, such as aids and services for people with
disabilities, and language services. However, their behavioral health services may involve costs
depending on insurance coverage. Services like skilled sign language interpreters and written
materials in accessible formats are provided at no cost. They also provide free language services
like skilled interpreters and translated materials for those with limited English proficiency.
According to Clarvida’s Website, there are no fees associated with becoming a foster parent or
family, but foster parents must meet licensing requirements and cover expenses for the child's
needs (Clarvida.com). All funding is provided through state and federal grants, Medicaid/
Medicare, and covered insurance plans.
Conclusion
After doing research, I believe that the city of Albany supports the multicultural needs of
its citizens. The city of Albany is dedicated to fostering a multicultural and inclusive community,
by celebrating its diverse heritage, and addressing citizens' needs. However, specific support for
multicultural needs beyond arts and culture isn't fully detailed and was not provided in my
research. Most of the programs and services provided in the area, including the ones
mentioned in this paper or provided by private entities.
I believe that the city could do more to support its citizens. For example, I did not even
know that two out of the three resources I discussed in this paper existed. Only after research,
did I find them online. The city should do a better job with marketing and advertising the
available services out there. Not every person in need has access to a computer. Some people
only find out through word of mouth or luck. The city should make a point to put out flyers,
hand out information at local homeless shelters, run ads on radio and television, letting its
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citizens know what’s out there. Some people will say, “if these services are private entities, why
should the city advertise?” Because it’s the right thing to do, that’s why!
Overall, I would give the city a grade of average or maybe slightly above average. I have
travelled around the world during my time in the service and know that things could be much
worse. The bottom line is, we must all do our part to help one another. The Apostle John said,
“Whoever loves his brother abides in the light, and in him there is no cause for stumbling” (1
John 2:10, ESV).
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Reference
aspirebhdd.org (2025) Aspire Behavioral Health and DD Services- Albany Area Community
Service Board, https://aspirebhdd.org/ clarvida.com (2025), Providing
Expert Mental Health Services to Albany, Georgia,
https://www.clarvida.com/locations/albany-ga/ datausa.com (2025),
https://datausa.io/profile/geo/albany-ga familyliteracy.com (2025)
https://www.familyliteracyconnection.com/
1 John 2:10 (ESV) English Standard Version, The New Testament, Biblica Inc. 2011
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