Program areas at Consumer Credit Counseling Service of Southern Oregon
The agency provides free financial Counseling, in person or by phone. Counseling is confidential and is provided by a Credit counselor certified by the national foundation for Credit Counseling. In 2022, we conducted 1,2022 Counseling appointments. During the appointment, a personalized budget is developed and a comprehensive list of creditors is created. Based on the persons specific financial situation, possible options are discussed. Clients complete a financial exit evaluation and in 2022 95% of the clients counseled said they would rate our services as excellent.
The agency provides community education and presentations on budgeting, Credit, goal setting, housing, and money management. In 2022, a total of 27 community presentations to 4,323 persons were made at the invitation of the agencys community partners (for example; head start, addictions recovery center) for their clients. Presentations are generally made at the partners location so that clients can feel comfortable attending and the education can fit the clients overall goals. Most of the funding comes from grants from local and regional foundations and corporations.
The agency provides debt management plans for those clients that qualify for, and are interested in, repaying their creditors through our agency. In 2022 about 8% of the clients counseled chose this option as the best option for their situation. Payments to creditors are calculated by the counselor according to criteria established by the creditors. Clients make payments to the agency every month and those payments are forwarded to their creditors setup and monthly fees are charged, but can be waived if they would be a barrier to receiving the Service.