The Caring Corner

The Caring Corner is a trusted provider of mental health and family services, founded in 1979 by Francette Williams, LCSW, LMFT, and serving Northwest Indiana for over 40 years.

What began as a small counseling center has grown into a comprehensive resource for thousands of individuals and families, dedicated to fostering emotional well-being, empowering people to thrive, and strengthening communities through compassionate, integrity-driven, and individualized care.

We believe everyone deserves access to quality mental health support, and our personalized approach helps clients navigate life's challenges, build stronger relationships, and achieve lasting change.

Our services include counseling for individuals and families facing issues like substance abuse, domestic violence, and relational challenges; adoption and foster care support with home studies, parenting classes, and advocacy; therapeutic supervised visitation; substance use disorder assessments and treatment; child welfare services in collaboration with the Indiana Department of Child Services, such as home-based therapy, casework, and parent education; consultations via Medicaid or private insurance; special projects for businesses and community organizations; and institutional support like employee assistance programs, school-based services, and professional development.

We work collaboratively with public agencies, community partners, schools, insurance providers, and government entities to serve a diverse population across Lake and Porter Counties, ensuring safe family interactions, enhanced parenting skills, and workplace wellness to nurture stability and a brighter outlook for all.

What we treat

Treatment & Programs

Levels of Care

Care at The Caring Corner revolves around outpatient support and community-integrated services, including home-based casework for families in need. Prospective clients should contact the center directly to inquire about specific program intensities and enrollment options.

Therapies

The clinical team places a heavy emphasis on relational healing through robust individual and family therapy. Clinicians use these traditional methods to methodically rebuild trust and communication between relatives. Through local state contracts, they also provide specialized visitation support to ensure safe and constructive interactions for parents.

Individual Therapy Family Therapy

Addictions

Drawing on Founder Francette Williams’ background as a Certified Addiction Counselor, the center conducts comprehensive substance use disorder assessments. They also offer outpatient substance use treatment to help individuals build a foundation for long-term sobriety.

Conditions

Clinicians in the Merrillville office treat a broad spectrum of general mental health and relational challenges. Those seeking support for specific behavioral health diagnoses are encouraged to contact the team directly to discuss clinical capabilities.

Issues

Much of the work done here centers on complex family dynamics, particularly relationship issues, custody transitions, and the strict demands of navigating child welfare involvement. Counselors also assist families actively experiencing acute domestic crisis to foster healthier parent-child interactions. The ultimate goal is always to cultivate a more stable home environment for everyone involved.

Custody / Visitation Relationship Issues

Programs

Specialized community initiatives take precedence here, most notably a dedicated casework track operated in collaboration with the Indiana Department of Child Services. Their adoption and foster care support program is also central to their mission, guiding growing families through state-mandated readiness classes.

On-site

Amenities

Located in the heart of Merrillville, the clinical offices provide a confidential, professional setting for family counseling and supervised visitations. Please contact the administration team directly for specific details regarding building amenities and physical accommodations.

Coverage

Payment

To ensure vital support remains accessible to the Northwest Indiana community, the center currently accepts Medicaid coverage. They also work with various private health insurance plans to help individuals sustainably offset the cost of outpatient consultations.

Medicaid

Eligibility

Who We Serve

Families, working professionals, and local organizations across Northwest Indiana make up the core population supported by this agency. For over four decades, their outreach has been tightly localized to the everyday needs of residents residing in Lake and Porter Counties. From state caseworkers to brand new adoptive parents, the facility explicitly builds its offerings around community empowerment.

Populations Served

Professionals

Languages

EnglishSpanish

Additional Services

The scope of community involvement at The Caring Corner extends far beyond traditional counseling to include wraparound case management and intensive adoption home studies. For local workplaces, they frequently design comprehensive employee assistance programs to promote workforce well-being. Additionally, clinical staff host professional development training to support educators in identifying youth needs.

Case Management

About

Facility Info

While established as a for-profit mental health provider, The Caring Corner functions much like a community cornerstone for Northwest Indiana's social safety net. They maintain extensive operational ties to local public schools, government entities, and the broader child welfare system.

Credentials

Accreditations

Operations continuously run in strict alignment with State of Indiana guidelines, particularly regarding their adoption and foster care assessments. Families should contact the facility directly to ask about any specific formal accreditations or state licenses they hold.