A counseling center in Graham has expanded to include a new behavioral health outpatient facility.
Consejo Counseling and Referral Service, a regional chain with locations throughout Western Washington, celebrated the grand opening of its new facility Wednesday.
The outpatient center, next to the counseling center at 21120 Meridian E., will offer bilingual medical and natural health services, along with psychiatric evaluations. Substance-abuse services will be available.
Mario Paredes, executive director of Consejo Counseling, said the Graham behavioral health facility is one of the few mental health centers serving East Pierce County.
The Graham counseling center opened in 2018 after a teacher in Graham approached Consejo about a lack of mental health services for students in the area, Paredes said.
The center has reached capacity, and Paredes said the organization observed an even greater need for mental health care in East Pierce County, which led Consejo to start work on the outpatient facility.
“Unfortunately, mental health [services] are a huge need in the community, and that can be anything from … somebody who’s just having an adjustment disorder to severe trauma conditions.”
The new outpatient facility is next to the original counseling center at 21120 Meridian East. Consejo Counseling and Referral Service Courtesy
The only other Consejo outpatient facility that offers a similar range of services is at its headquarters in Renton. Consejo also operates in Tacoma, Seattle, Bellevue, Shelton and Belfair.
The counseling organization began in 1978, becoming the first Latino-based behavioral health center in the state. All Consejo services are free for patients, with help from state grants.
The new Graham facility is hoping to start taking new patients June 15, Parades said.
The News Tribune
Minnie Stephenson covers restaurant and business news in and around Tacoma for The News Tribune. She has previously worked for WBZ NewsRadio in Boston and the Howard Center for Investigative Journalism. Through the Howard Center, she worked on the Associated Press investigation “Lethal Restraint,” which was named a Pulitzer Prize finalist in 2025. She grew up in Marshfield, Massachusetts and graduated with a journalism degree from the University of Maryland.