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Mental Health Workers, Clients Protest Closing Of North Side Clinic

CHICAGO (CBS) -- More than 50 people gathered in the alley next to the Community Counseling Centers of Chicago on Clark Street this afternoon. Employees and clients are demanding answers after the clinic announced it was abruptly closing its doors on May 31.

"We need to know what happened, why it happened and what's going to happen now. These people need answers. This is unacceptable," cried Maya Joseph Brooks, marriage and family therapist.

Brooks is one of more than 250 employees who are losing their jobs.

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C4 cares for more than 10,000 patients, including children, each year and employees say they were notified via email that all its clinics are closing their doors in a move mental health care experts say will be devastating for its patients.

"These workers were given three days' notice that their health care was going to be terminated. These are health care workers without health care. They also received notice a month out that these jobs would be terminated without any clear path of transition," said Adam Kader of Arise Chicago.

The center was founded in 1972 to help people released from psychiatric hospitals into Edgewater and Uptown. Over the years it expanded to five locations.

Terese Burton tearfully told the crowd that C4 has been helping her and her family for more than 24 years.

"They have helped me, support me, raise my children who all had mental health needs. As a client here, I've been able to receive meds, support and I'm an active member of society."

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(Credit: Lisa Fielding)

C4 CEO Eileen Durkin says it was an agonizing decision and pointed to problems stemming from a new billing system.

After the center upgraded their medical records system as required by the Affordable Care Act, a glitch in the way the records and billing systems were linked prevented C4 from sending out bills last fall, she said.

"We went for six weeks without being able to get a bill out the door," Durkin said. That all but cut off C4's cash flow, she said.

Durkin says they are working with the state to place clients and employees with other mental health programs. But protestors say they don't buy it.

"There are no more Chicago mental health centers. There's no room for these people," said C4 client Lawrence Sack.

C4's closure comes as lawmakers debate Gov. Bruce Rauner's proposals to slash $82 million from mental health programs.

"The state has been extremely cooperative and helpful but we had no other choice," said Durkin.

The city of Chicago shut down six of its 12 public mental health clinics back in 2012.

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