Summer 2011
Transcript of Summer 2011
14 Sycamore Way Branford, CT 06405
www.harborhealthservices.org
Harbor Health Services, Inc. is a multi-service, nonprofit behavioral health agency. It is licensed by the Connecticut Department of Public Health, accredited by the Commission on Accreditation of Rehabilitation Facilities, and designated the Local Mental Health Authority for the towns of Branford, East Haven, Guilford, Madison, North Branford and North Haven.
For more information, call: Clinical Services
203-483-2630 x245 Social & Vocational Services
203-483-2645 x244 Administration
203-483-2630 x245 Human Resources 203-483-5861 x101
Community Support Services 203-483-2645 x241
Development & Public Relations 203-483-2630 x227
Leadership
President/Chief Executive Officer
Roberta J. Cook
Board of Directors Margaret Livingston, Chair
Janet Poss, Vice Chair Charlotte Mattei, Secretary Sean Thomas, Treasurer
Richard Bell, Esq. David Crompton
Deepak Cyril D’Souza, MD Brock Dubin, Esq. Natalie Feingold
Catriona MacAuslan John Monico
Summer 2011
We recently announced that our board and the board of Birmingham Group Health Services in Ansonia have voted their intent to merge the two organizations. A comprehensive due diligence process and integration plan are expected to be completed for board review by October. If the merger is approved, a unified organization will begin operating in January 2012 to serve as a regional provider of behavioral health and domestic violence services that better meet community needs throughout Greater New Haven and the Naugatuck Valley.
The proposed merger will bring together two strong organizations with essential and complementary programs, including mental health, addiction and prevention services, and domestic violence services. The two private, non‐profit corporations will be gradually transitioned over to a single organization and brand over the next 12 months, in order to maintain continuity in client service delivery and minimize disruption in operations.
Birmingham Group Health Services, Inc. (BGHS) has 180 employees and is the Local Mental Health Authority (LMHA) for the towns of Ansonia, Derby, Oxford, Seymour and Shelton. Founded in Ansonia in 1979 as the Lower Naugatuck Valley Mental Health Center, the organization has expanded from providing solely mental health services to offering substance abuse treatment and prevention, and domestic violence services covering the Greater New Haven and Shoreline areas as well.
BGHS and HHSI believe that coming together will not only create a stronger organization, but will also provide easier access and improved outcomes for clients. Strategic outcomes of the proposed merger will include determining processes and measures for providing enhanced and expanded care programs, greater operating efficiency and economy of scale, and better professional growth opportunities. The leadership teams and boards of both organizations are committed to keeping services local and making the best possible decision for clients, communities and staff members.
If you have any questions please contact Emily Gangi (203) 483‐2630 x227.
We are committed to: Keeping services local Increasing access Increasing outcomes for clients
& the community
Together We Can Do So Much More
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I was living in a tent in the woods…
Greg* is a Korean War veteran, a hero and a father. He’s been hearing “angels”
speaking to him for more than 15 years, but mostly could keep them under control.
He’s been married, he’s been divorced, and for the last five years he’s been homeless
and living across the street from Walmart in a tent in the woods. Homelessness did
not come quickly, Greg struggled for years to support his second wife who is
permanently in a nursing home due to a stroke, but eventually the bills became more
than he could handle and his house was in foreclosure and he had no where to turn.
Camping was supposed to be a temporary situation, but as his wife’s health declined, the voices of the angels got louder
and ability to control them deteriorated. Greg lived in the woods for the next five years.
Luckily for Greg, he met another vet while walking to the soup kitchen and his new friend suggested he meet Bobbi Jo
and learn about how Harbor Health could help him. Greg was hesitant at first, but the winter was really rough and he
was afraid he wouldn’t survive much longer in the woods.
Bobbi Jo and our crisis team convinced Greg to go to the VA hospital for help.
He was given the medical care and mental health services he needed there,
and he came to live in our respite program in Branford while awaiting a
housing voucher. Three months later, Greg moved into his own apartment.
He says that his angels still visit him, but he’s able to ignore them. He’s hap‐
pier and healthier than he’s been in many years. You may see Greg walking
around town on any given day, smiling and ready to share his story with anyone who will listen.
Your donations helped Greg have the happy ending he deserved. To learn more about how you can help veterans in our
area please contact Bobbi Jo Evans (203) 483‐2645 x203 or your local VA hospital. *name changed to protect identity
Greg’s snowy home Winter 2011
Your Donations at Work Veteran Has a Place to Call Home
20 to 25% of the single adult homeless population struggles with mental illness.
President’s Message Roberta J. Cook, President/CEO
Dear Friends,
As you may have read in our cover story, HHSI recently announced plans to merge with Birmingham Group Health Services, Inc., a like‐minded, community‐based behavioral health organization located in Ansonia, CT. The reasons for the merger are many, but center mainly around our continuing efforts to provide the highest quality services to our community members while ensuring those services are easily accessible, cost‐effective and above all, outcome‐based.
Becoming a part of a regional health care organization will ensure the continued growth and expansion of our services on the Shoreline and enable us to strengthen our financial stability in the face of a difficult economy. It will also enable us to improve existing services and strengthen our role as a part of the safety net.
As we work to finalize the merger and determine the structure of this dynamic and strong new organization, we want to assure our clients, stakeholders and supporters of our continued commitment to serving the Shoreline community. We hope you will support us in this exciting new venture and in our continued mission to build a healthier, stronger community for us all.
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You may not know this, but... Your Donations Are Helping to Change an Alarming Statistic
Thanks to your support, we are creating a healthier environment for our clients, staff and visitors. Recent research demonstrates that adults in our population are dying an average of 25 years earlier than the rest of the population. With your help, we are taking steps to change that statistic for our community. The implementation of tobacco cessation services and on‐site primary care are simply building blocks to forming not only a healthier campus, but to developing healthier habits among members of the Harbor Health family. On May 31 our main campus at 14 Sycamore Way went tobacco free, on November 28 the OPTIONS building will do the same, and over the next few years our other sites will follow.
The tobacco cessation program began in 2010 thanks to a grant from the CT Department of Public Health. To date, 176 HHSI clients have enrolled in tobacco cessation services, of those enrolled, 95 percent reported a history of failed quit attempts, and 62 percent of those who completed the program report either reducing their tobacco use, or complete cessation. Our on‐site primary care program, Health Management Strategies for Recovery (HMSR)
is funded by a grant from the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration and has been increasingly successful in providing services to our community members. HMSR provides services to clients in several different ways, described below, with the number of clients benefiting from each service as follows: 188 clients are currently enrolled in the HMSR Program, and are assessed by the nurse care manager on an average of every two to three months. Over the last year, the nurse care manager provided 278 assessments. 104 clients, who had no access to a primary care doctor, are now receiving on‐site primary care services through our partnership with the Cornell Scott Hill Health Center. 46 clients are currently being served by the peer health mentor. The peer health mentor assists clients in successfully completing their enrollment in the program, and in completing their physical examinations. The “Wellness Curriculum” group program being held in our OPTIONS social club has become increasingly well attended and received. The Wellness Curriculum is a series of 10 groups offered three to four times a year covering topics such as nutrition, exercise, managing health problems, and developing your wellness plan. The most recent series of 10 groups had an average attendance of 24 clients, and served 243 clients. HMSR also offers a health education series in the community covering topics such as diabetes, mindfulness, and staying healthy during the holidays. Over the next year we’ll be providing health tips in our newsletters, on our website and via social media, we hope you will join us in building a healthier community. “Like” us on Facebook: www.facebook.com/HarborHealthServices Follow us on Twitter: www.twitter.com/HarborHealthSvc
Only 17% of Americans with mental illness see a primary care physician.
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Donors Show Their Support at the
Hà{ TÇÇâtÄ eÉtw àÉ exvÉäxÜç ZtÄt 9 Tâvà|ÉÇ Raising more than $20,000 to provide crucial mental health
and addiction services for their Shoreline neighbors.
More than 100 people gathered at Amarante’s Sea Cliff on May 26 to raise money, show their support, and to honor our Community Partner, State Representative Pat Widlitz, and our Volunteer of the Year, Charlotte Mattei. Many thanks to all who supported the event in various ways, thanks to
you, it was a tremendous success!
Gold Sponsor: Print Media Sponsor:
Silver Sponsors: Community Foundation for Greater New Haven
Rose & Kiernan, Inc. VNA Community Healthcare, Inc.
Benefactors: Mr. & Mrs. Richard Bell, Esq. Gowrie Group of Insurance Sir Speedy Print & Marketing
Webster Bank
Friends Branford Counseling Center
Gibson & Donegan Hearth at Gardenside
Hospital of Saint Raphael Dept. of Psychiatry Letizia, Ambrose & Falls, P.C.
Royal Printing
Supporters Patricia Andriole
Mr. & Mrs. Nelson Bernabucci Branford Rotary Club Grove Street Financial
Auction Donors: A&A Cleaners, All Purpose Steamers, An American in Paris Beads, Assaggio, John & Violet Atallah, Automated Services, Beauty in the Beast, Bradford Portraits, Branford Hobby Shop, Tina Burne, Calderone Chiropractic, Christopher’s Salon & Day Spa, Clarion Hotel & Suites, Alpha Coiro, Creek Chic Designs, Crest Termite Control, CT Shellfish, Curves of Branford, Dockside Seafood and Grill, Brock Dubin, Foe an American Bistro, Eli’s on the Hill, Essentials Nail & Body Boutique, Goody’s Hardware, Gouveia Vineyards, Heirloom at the Study at Yale, Idiom, Jalapeno Heaven, Kaoud Brothers Oriental Rugs, La Luna Ristorante, Lisa Theresa’s Italian Deli & Imports, Lenny’s Indian Head Inn, Letizia, Ambrose & Falls, Livable Solutions Professional Organizing, Tom Longo, Catriona MacAuslan, Marco Pizzeria, Marsha Maldonado, Maximus Lease Finance Group, Miracle Mist Carpet Cleaners, John Monico, New England Revolution, New York Red Bulls, Olejarczyk & Sons, Pacapelli Sisters, Parthenon Diner, Pasta Cosi, Philadelphia Union, Quattro’s, Robin Bruce Sandler, SBC—Branford, Shoreline Trolley Museum, Wells Thomas, LLC, Whitfield’s on the Green.
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OPTIONS Nook
At its annual Mental Health Month Celebration, OPTIONS honored OAK President, Sue Searles with its Volunteer of the Year Award. Sue is an outstanding volunteer who helps oversee social club programming, runs groups, serves as a role model for her peers, and is always available to help no matter the project or endeavor.
As is annual tradition, John Letizia donated a brand new computer and printer in honor of Sue’s achievement and in memory of his father, Carlo Letizia.
To create a healthier environment for clients, staff and visitors, OPTIONS social club is going tobacco free on November 28! We will celebrate with games, prizes, giveaways, and more. To participate call Ralph (203) 483‐2645 x202.
PRIVATE SORROWS Karl‐Otto Liebmann, M.D.
Medical Director
There are thoughts in your head you have never expressed, feelings you harbor but never share. Once, maybe, sitting next to a stranger, you started talking and, embarrassed, fell silent. Once, perhaps, in your doctor’s office while he studied your chart figuring out who you were, you blurted out words that made him look up and ask; “Sorry, what did you say?”
Private sorrows: You know yours and I know mine. There are good reasons, I think, to keep them private. Why let anyone see that we are vulnerable, that we hurt? We all have been dealt one or more blows in our lifetime. We have lost people we loved and cannot replace, have been betrayed or abandoned by people we trusted, have failed in relationships, have not reached goals we set for ourselves weeks, months, years ago, have seen our plans collapse and money we were sure of disappear.
Sorrows simmer. They may spill over. They hurt. They become a summary of what cannot be reversed, cannot be recovered, what is lost.
Your sorrow is your burden. However, it is not your destiny. It is your teacher. It taught you how to muster your strength. Let it teach you how to shape your future.
Doctor’s Corner Thinking About Planned Giving
What gifting strategies are available to me? Giving always feels good, there is no question about that, but there are other advantages to giving as well. There are a number of different gifting instruments available for planned giving and each has its advantages and disadvantages. Here’s a quick snapshot of some of the opportunities available to you. For more information contact your financial planner, attorney, or the HHSI Development office.
Sue Searles & John Letizia
GIFT ADVANTAGES DISADVANTAGES
Outright Gift
Deductible for income taxes
No retained interest
Gifts of Insurance
Current income tax deduction possible
Enables donor to make a large future gift at a small cost in the future
May require annual premiums
In some cases the death benefit could be a part of the donor’s taxable estate.
Charitable Lead Trust
A current gift to charity
Current income tax deduction
Pass assets to heirs at future discount
Transfer of assets is irrevocable
If current income tax deduction is taken, future income is taxable to donor.
Donor gives up use of income for life of the trust.
Charitable Remainder Unitrust
Current income tax deduction
Avoids capital gains tax on appreciated property
Reduce future estate taxes
Transfer of assets is irrevocable
Qualified appraisal generally required
Complex administration and setup.
Charitable Remainder Annuity Trust
Income tax deduction
Avoids capital gains tax on appreciated property
Fixed income
Fixed payment cannot be limited to the net amount of trust income
Qualified appraisal generally required
Complex administration and setup.
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14 Sycamore Way Branford, CT 06405 **Return Service Requested**
The mission of Harbor Health Services, Inc. is to improve the quality of life of the people we serve by providing comprehensive, effective and efficient
mental health and addiction services.
HHSI is supported by the CT Department of Mental Health and Addiction Services, the Guilford Community Fund, the Guilford Human Services Council, the Community Foundation for Greater New Haven, the Alcoa Foundation, and the Town of Branford.
HHSI is accredited by the Commission on Accreditation of Rehabilitation Facilities and is licensed by the Department of Public Health.
HHSI is a partner agency of CommuniCare, Inc.
An Affirmative Action/Equal Opportunity Employer
Guilford Community Fund
Tobacco Free at OPTIONS 11/28
Harbor Health Services OPTIONS building (13 Sycamore Way) is going tobacco free on 11/28 in an effort to provide a healthier environment for clients, staff and visitors. We are offering tobacco cessation services for anyone who is interested in learning more
about quitting smoking or any other tobacco products.
Group I: Learning About Healthy Living: A weekly group held in the clubhouse for those considering quitting.
Group II: Smoke Enders: An eight week group dedicated to helping you quit including strategies and nicotine replacement therapies.
Group III: Tobacco Relapse Prevention: An open group to help individuals who have quit stay on the path to a healthier lifestyle. This group will also help ease you off nicotine replacement therapies.
Call Chrissy to sign up (203) 483‐2630 x209.