vSAN FRANCISCO -- In a novel attempt to slow the epidemic of violence in California, psychologists in a county east of San Francisco have begun offering three hours of free therapy to anyone who turns in a gun.


Following on the heels of successful gun exchange programs for cash, food, shoes, toys and concert and sports tickets, this is the first in the nation to trade psychotherapy for firearms. Call it guns-for-shrinks.


Initiated by psychologist David O'Grady, president of the 110-member Contra Costa Psychological Association, the program is designed to aid gun owners who may be angry, depressed or suicidal. Grady said all of the association's therapists will participate.


"There are people out there who know they have a problem with anger and sincerely want to learn new skills for dealing with it,'' O'Grady said. "There are people who own guns because they are afraid and want to find other means of coping with their fears.''


O'Grady, who specializes in counseling teenagers, said he was prompted to start the program after one 18-year-old patient took a loaded Uzi to school and another 13-year-old client went to school with his father's loaded pistol.


The psychologist noted that the death rate from firearms in Contra Costa has risen by 247 percent in the past decade. The county's population has grown by 22 percent in the same period.


Police officials said they welcome the program and will participate by collecting weapons and issuing vouchers, which will be worth $300 at the office of any participating psychologist, who are offering their services for free.


"There are a lot of people who are looking at this as some kind of joke,'' said Concord Police Chief Michael Maehler. "That's not my feeling at all. If there is an opportunity to save some lives by having psychological services available, that seems like it's worth doing to me.''


Unlike some exchange programs that have been restricted to handguns, the psychologists will accept any type of firearm. But clients will be limited to one voucher per person.


"You couldn't finance an entire course of psychoanalysis with an arsenal,'' O'Grady said.


In the last three years, exchange programs in Los Angeles, San Francisco, New York and other major cities have netted thousands of unwanted firearms. Most recently, the U.S. Army began its own guns-for-cash program in Haiti as part of its effort to end violence there.