Thanks everyone for responding so far. The law requires going to the credit counseling for a type of certificate in debt management. I guess it's a way of making sure people know what they are doing and to avoid debt in the future.
So that is the first step before actually filing any paperwork. The certificate of completion from the accredited counseling service needs to be filed first, then my state has step by step instructions on line. It is intimidating, but I am doing it to get the pressure off. The final straw for me was a medical bill that I can't pay. I don't care about my credit score anymore. I just want to show some responsibility by filing and having it behind me.

Thanks again everyone for your responses.