Samaritan Health and Living Center

The Samaritan Center is a community-based, interdenominational nonprofit organization founded in 1972 in Elkhart, Indiana, dedicated to providing professional counseling and compassionate support to individuals, families, and children under stress, with a mission to be an expression of the love of God through a ministry of helping people achieve healing, hope, and wholeness.

Inspired by the vision of local physician Dr.

Burton Kintner and supported by community partners like the Martin Foundation and NIBCO, Inc., the Center has grown from its origins in a church to its current facility at 311 West High Street, tripling its capacity to deliver thousands of hours of high-quality, evidence-based mental health services each year.

Grounded in core values of high-quality care, compassion, dignity and worth of all persons, and respect, the Center employs a collaborative, client-centered approach that honors the whole person—mind, body, and spirit—integrating personal faith and spirituality when desired by clients.

Services include tailored individual therapy using modalities such as Internal Family Systems (IFS), Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR), Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT), and Trauma-Focused CBT; couples therapy to foster deeper connections and resilience; specialized play therapy for children ages 3-12 led by certified Registered Play Therapists (RPTs) to address issues like anxiety, trauma, grief, and behavioral challenges; and group therapy options including DBT psychoeducation groups for skill-building in mindfulness, emotion regulation, and interpersonal effectiveness, as well as interpersonal process groups to explore and transform relational patterns in a supportive peer environment.

Committed to accessibility, the Center offers fee assistance through dedicated funds like the Samaritan Fund for general support, the Silent Samaritan Fund for women, the Small Fry Fund for children, the Julie Fund for addiction recovery and youth prevention, the Jonathon Fund for adolescents facing depression, and the Couples Fund, ensuring that financial barriers do not prevent care for the underserved in the community.

What we treat

Treatment & Programs

Levels of Care

The Samaritan Health and Living Center provides ongoing outpatient care tailored to each client's unique journey. Whether individuals are seeking weekly individual sessions or regular group therapy, the schedule is designed to support sustained healing within the community.

Outpatient

Therapies

Treatment here incorporates a robust blend of modalities, prominently featuring EMDR, Internal Family Systems, and Trauma-Focused CBT. For younger clients, specialized play therapy is facilitated by officially Registered Play Therapists. Meanwhile, adults can engage in individual sessions or structured DBT psychoeducation groups.

Individual Therapy Couples Therapy Play Therapy Group Therapy

Addictions

While primarily focused on mental health, the facility recognizes the deep impact of addiction on families. Through specialized initiatives like the Julie Fund, staff members provide vital support for individuals in addiction recovery. This community-backed fund also emphasizes essential early intervention for local youth.

Conditions

Clinicians at Samaritan Health and Living Center are fully equipped to address a range of mental health diagnoses. Their team regularly helps clients navigate challenges like crippling depression and severe anxiety. By focusing on the whole person, their approach uncovers strengths and fosters lasting resilience.

Issues

Beyond diagnosable conditions, the counseling team addresses complex life transitions. They routinely help clients process divorce, separation, and profound feelings of grief. The staff also offers specialized care for childhood trauma, physical abuse, and difficult family relational dynamics.

Grief/Loss Divorce/Separation Childhood Trauma Physical/Sexual Abuse Relocation / Acculturation Adjustment

Programs

Driven by a mission to be an expression of the love of God, the center offers a fundamentally Christian faith-based approach. While deeply rooted in spiritual values, their programs rely heavily on evidence-based practices. Therapists only integrate personal faith when explicitly desired by the client.

Christian Faith-Based Evidence Based Holistic/Integrative

On-site

Amenities

Located on West High Street in Elkhart, the building provides a warm space designed to foster comfort and creativity. Specialized, child-friendly therapy rooms ensure that younger clients have a thoroughly safe environment to express themselves through play.

Coverage

Payment

Navigating the cost of therapy is deeply supported here. The center works with most major commercial insurance providers to maximize client benefits. For those facing financial hardship, dedicated community funds ensure care remains possible on a sliding scale.

Please contact the facility directly to verify insurance coverage and payment options. Many facilities offer free insurance verification.

Call to Verify Coverage

Eligibility

Who We Serve

Over its decades in operation, the center has expanded to care for a diverse cross-section of the Elkhart community. Services are meticulously tailored to support children as young as three, teens navigating adolescent struggles, married couples, and adults at all stages of life.

Age Groups

Children (Under 13)Adolescents (13-17)Adults (26-64)

Genders Accepted

Women

Populations Served

Couples

Languages

English

Additional Services

To ensure financial barriers never prevent healing, the organization maintains an extraordinary network of fee-assistance programs. From the Silent Samaritan Fund for women to the Small Fry Fund for children, this sliding scale setup reflects a deep commitment to accessible care.

Sliding Scale Fees

About

Facility Info

Functioning as a community-based, interdenominational nonprofit, Samaritan Health and Living Center operates right in the heart of the city. Supported by local partners, it serves as an accessible anchor of compassionate care for northern Indiana.

Credentials

Accreditations

Care is delivered by highly qualified Licensed Clinical Social Workers. The organization prioritizes ongoing professional development across its entire staff. This dedication ensures that all clinical work consistently meets exceptionally high professional standards.