Child and Family Agency of Southeastern CT Opens Mental Health Urgent Crisis Center in New London
NEW LONDON, Conn. (August 15, 2023) – Child and Family Agency of Southeastern CT, Inc. (CFA), a leading social service provider in southern and eastern CT, announces the opening of eastern Connecticut’s Urgent Crisis Center (UCC), offering care to children and youth facing a mental health and/or substance abuse crisis.
CFA has provided behavioral care to children and adults in the region since 1972. CFAs UCC is one of four new short-term, urgent crisis centers across the state available to children actively experiencing crisis.
“Our community is deeply concerned about the mental health of our youth, and we are delighted to welcome this valuable new resource to our region,” says Mayor Michael Passero of New London. He adds, “The Urgent Crisis Center will help to keep children and teens in crisis out of the ER.” This exciting new statewide initiative, funded by the CT Department of Children and Families, widens the safety net for children and families in CT.
“This is very exciting news for the children and families in our community,” Jeanne Milstein, New London Human Services Director, “the mental health crisis among our young people is devastating… the crisis impacts every community.” The UCC will help keep children and teens experiencing a mental health and substance abuse crisis out of the ER and help to connect them with ongoing mental health care. This transformative service will include crisis intervention, diagnostics, safety planning, treatment recommendations, and linkage to additional services.
The UCC is available to residents of region three (New London County, Windham County, and Middlesex County), 0-18 years old. Referrals for services may come from medical providers, emergency personnel, schools, families, or self-referral.
CFAs UCC, at 255 Hempstead Street in New London, is open from 8 AM to 4 PM Monday-Friday and will be progressing to 24-hour care 7 days a week. No appointment is required. Walk-ins welcome. Call (860) 437-4550 to learn more.
For more information, please contact Ellie Lambert at (860) 437-4550 x 1406 or lamberte@childandfamilyagency.org
Child and Family Agency of Southeastern Connecticut Opens 10 New School-Based Health Centers in Southern CT
NEW LONDON, Conn. (May 1, 2023) – Child and Family Agency of Southeastern CT, Inc (CFA), a leading social service provider in southern and eastern CT, received one-time grant funding from the National School-Based Health Alliance through the Connecticut Department of Public Health in the amount of $2,971,661 in support of School-Based Health Center (SBHC) expansion in Connecticut. This grant award will strengthen 13 existing CFA-operated SBHC facilities and allow for the addition of five new SBHCs and five expanded school health sites in southern CT schools.
This grant grows CFA’s SBHC presence to 23 clinics throughout Groton, Ledyard, New London, Stonington, and Waterford. SBHCs support students’ health, well-being, and academic success by providing comprehensive, evidence-based, and trauma-informed on-site medical services, behavioral health care, and health education within the school.
No student is denied services regardless of their insurance status or ability to pay.
For questions regarding CFA’s SBHC services, please call our Client Support Specialists at 860-437-4550.
For more information, please contact Ellie Lambert at (860) 437-4550 x 1406 or lamberte@childandfamilyagency.org
Child and Family Agency of Southeastern Connecticut Holds Ribbon Cutting for Outpatient Behavioral Health Clinic in Pawcatuck, CT
PAWCATUCK, Conn. (April 25, 2023) – Child and Family Agency of Southeastern CT, Inc (CFA), a leading social service provider in southern and eastern CT, hosted a ribbon cutting for its newest Outpatient Behavioral Health Clinic in Pawcatuck, CT. CFA aims to improve access to behavioral health care, making it convenient and affordable for all residents. The Pawcatuck Clinic marks CFA’s fourth outpatient location.
Located in the shopping complex at 37 South Broad Street, CFA treats anxiety disorders, depression and/or mood disorders, emotional trauma, and more through a series of Evidence-Based Practices (EBP). Services include screening and assessments, counseling (group, family, and individual therapy), psychiatric services, addiction and substance abuse, and more.
CFA hosted an official ribbon cutting on Monday, April 24, 2023. Lisa Otto, LCSW, CEO and staff of CFA were joined by Connecticut State Senator Heather Somers, Connecticut State Representative Greg Howard, First Selectman Danielle Chesebrough, and representatives from Stonington Public Schools and the Connecticut Department of Children and Families.
CFA’s Pawcatuck Outpatient Clinic includes Open Access hours for new clients seeking immediate services every Wednesday from 9:00 a.m. – 11:00 a.m. Please visit www.ChildAndFamilyAgency.org/OpenAcccessHours to learn more. A complete list of conditions treated and services available can be found at https://www.childandfamilyagency.org or by calling 860-437-4550.
CFA participates in most major insurance plans. Please contact our Billing Department at 860-437-4550 for any questions on participating insurances.
Funding for the Pawcatuck Outpatient Clinic comes, in part, from the CT Department of Children and Families.
For more information, please contact Ellie Lambert at (860) 437-4550 x 1406 or lamberte@childandfamilyagency.org
Child and Family Agency of Southeastern Connecticut Announces new Chief Executive Officer
NEW LONDON, Conn. (February 28, 2023) – Child and Family Agency of Southeastern CT, Inc. (CFA), a leading social service provider in southern and eastern CT, today announced a new Chief Executive Officer effective April 1, 2023.
Lisa Otto, LCSW, will replace Dr. Allison Blake, CFA’s Chief Executive Officer (CEO) since 2019.
Dr. Blake has played an integral role in providing steadfast leadership, catalyzing and managing change to modernize, strengthen, and grow CFA and its impact on the Connecticut community.
In 2021, Dr. Blake led CFA in launching three new programs, Healthy Futures, CFA’s new medical service, the Community Bridge Clinic, and the Early Childhood Mental Health Consultation Initiative. In 2022, she helped CFA further expand the Agency’s behavioral health services by introducing a new Community Navigator at the Public Library of New London, increasing CFA’s presence in New London and Groton Public Schools, launching new mental health services at Ledyard Gallop Hill School in Ledyard, CT, and introducing mental health services for children and youth in Colchester, CT. In 2023, she oversaw the Agency’s Urgent Crisis Center contract, making CFA the first provider in southern Connecticut to offer 24/7 crisis intervention, diagnostics, treatment planning, and service linkage to support long-term stabilization to children and youth.
Dr. Blake’s leadership further allowed CFA to expand the Agency’s service area and access to our programming by relocating CFA’s Essex Outpatient Behavioral Health Clinic to Westbrook, CT, and establishing a fourth outpatient behavioral health clinic in Pawcatuck, CT.
The staff and Board of CFA thank Dr. Allison Blake for her passion, commitment, and courageous leadership.
Lisa Otto and Dr. Blake have worked closely together to prepare for this transition.
Otto steps into this new role as CEO after twenty years with the Agency, most recently serving CFA as Chief Operating Officer (COO). As COO, Otto oversees all of CFA’s extensive behavioral health, medical, child welfare, early education, and family resource programming, in addition to leading the grant writing team for regional, state, and federal grants, resulting in significant program expansion for CFA. She implemented numerous evidence-based practices, including Functional Family Therapy (FFT), Multi-dimensional Family Therapy, and Visit Coaching. As a National Consultant for FFT, she has provided training, consultation, and fidelity oversight for dozens of agencies across the US and Canada.
CFA’s Board of Directors is excited to welcome Lisa Otto as the new CEO, confident she will enthusiastically engage the staff, Board, and community in achieving great successes for CFA and its clients. Terry Burbank, Board Chair of CFA, says, “I am delighted that Lisa will be our new CEO. Her passion and experience, as well as the respect she has earned internally and externally, position CFA for great success under her leadership. She is adept at helping others understand the positive impact of the services CFA provides and will be an exceptional advocate and leader for CFA.”
For more information, please contact Ellie Lambert at (860) 437-4550 x 1406 or lamberte@childandfamilyagency.org
Child and Family Agency of Southeastern Connecticut Opens New Medical Clinic in Westbrook
WESTBROOK, Conn. (February 2, 2023) – Child and Family Agency of Southeastern CT, Inc (CFA), a leading social service provider in southern and eastern CT, opened its newest outpatient medical clinic in Westbrook to provide high-quality and accessible health care to Connecticut residents.
CFA’s Westbrook Community Bridge Clinic (4 Grove Beach Road North, Unit 2D) delivers expert primary care medical services to the surrounding community. Services are available for both adults and children, including but not limited to preventative care (annual physicals for school, sports, and camp), urgent or acute care (COVID-19 testing and treatment, URI, Strep, Sexually Transmitted Infections testing, and treatment, etc.), and vaccinations, such as the annual flu vaccine and monovalent and bivalent COVID-19 vaccines and boosters. Additionally, ADHD management and treatment by a board-certified Family Nurse Practitioner are also provided.
Based on the School-Based Health Center model of integrated medical and mental health care to better care for the whole person, this new medical center offers accessible, integrated behavioral health services with mental health screening and referrals from the Bridge Clinic to CFA’s robust behavioral health services.
Please call (860) 437-4550 to schedule an appointment at the Westbrook Community Bridge Clinic. Learn more about the Community Bridge Clinic at www.ChildandFamilyAgency.org/CommunityBridgeClinic
For more information, please get in touch with Ellie Lambert at (860) 437-4550 x 1406 or lamberte@childandfamilyagency.org
Child and Family Agency of Southeastern Connecticut Introduces Community-Based Counseling Services in Colchester
COLCHESTER, Conn. (November 3, 2022) – Child and Family of Southeastern CT, Inc (CFA), a leading social service provider in southern and eastern CT, will implement new, community-based mental health services in collaboration with the Town of Colchester, Youth & Social Services Department. Funding for the program is being provided by the ARPA grant program.
Services will be open to children and youth living in Colchester, ages 6-18. Operated by CFA, the new community-based mental health services will allow behavioral health access to residents for 15 hours per week.
“This partnership will allow us to support the Colchester community and offer individual, family, and group therapy for youth and their families at convenient times, including after school and on the weekend,” says Erin Saylor, CFA Managing Director of Behavioral Health Services, “we’ve had the privilege to serve the Colchester community for years in our community-based program and are grateful for the opportunity to offer an outpatient option in partnership with Colchester Youth & Social Services.”
Services will be provided by a highly-skilled, compassionate, and empathetic mental health professionals dedicated to providing exceptional care to individuals, couples, and families utilizing evidence-based practices. Insurance will be billed for services; however, no one will be turned away for inability to pay.
CFA holds decades of experience providing behavioral health services, including evidence-based therapies to address mood, depression, anxiety, trauma, and behavioral problems. We offer targeted treatment plans with measurable outcomes that are designed to address progress every three months.
For more information, contact Ellie Lambert at (860) 437-4550 x 1406 or lamberte@childandfamilyagency.org
Child and Family Agency of Southeastern Connecticut Opens in Westbrook, Providing Immediate Access to Mental Health Services
WESTBROOK, Conn. (September 23, 2022) – Child and Family of Southeastern CT, Inc (CFA), a leading social service provider in southern and eastern CT, has opened its newest location in Westbrook to address the mental health crisis in Connecticut. CFA aims to improve access to behavioral health care, making it convenient and affordable for all residents.
CFA’s Westbrook Outpatient Clinic (4 Grove Beach Road North, Unit 2D) offers robust clinical services provided by licensed clinical professionals. Outpatient Clinic services will include screening and assessments, counseling services, psychiatric services, addiction and substance use services, peer support, and more.
Allison Blake, CEO of CFA, was joined by State Representative Devin Carney, State Representative Christine Goupil, and First Selectman John Hall for a ribbon-cutting ceremony on September 23, 2022. In addition, representatives from the CT Department of Children and Families and the City of Westbrook Social Service department attended.
Funding for the Westbrook Outpatient Clinic comes, in part, from the CT Department of Children and Families.
CFA’s Westbrook Outpatient Clinic includes Open Access hours for new clients seeking immediate services every Monday from 9:00 a.m. – 11:00 a.m. A complete list of conditions treated and services available can be found at www.childandfamilyagency.org or by calling 860-437-4550.
For more information, please contact Ellie Lambert at (860) 437-4550 x 1406 or lamberte@childandfamilyagency.org
Child and Family Agency of Southeastern Connecticut Introduces New London Community Navigator
NEW LONDON, Conn. (September 20, 2022) – Child and Family of Southeastern CT, Inc (CFA), a leading social service provider in southern and eastern CT, today announced a new partnership with the Public Library of New London and the City of New London.
CFA will place a new community navigator at the Public Library of New London. This position will work collaboratively with library staff, patrons, and local community organizations to offer weekly mental health resources to New London residents experiencing crisis. Connections to support service engagement will also be facilitated. “This pilot initiative has the potential to help community residents better access needed services and supports – something sorely needed in our community,” said Allison Blake, CEO of CFA. “The New London Department of Human Services saw this as a creative solution to the difficulty residents sometimes experience navigating social services.”
Mayor Michael Passero applauds the new initiative since “our public library serves as a community gathering place for people across neighborhoods and we have seen an increase in patrons who are experiencing homelessness, substance use disorder, and mental health issues. In partnership with CFA, the consultant will provide needed information, support, and referrals.”
Funding for the community navigator comes from the City of New London.
For more information, please contact Ellie Lambert at (860) 437-4550 x 1406 or lamberte@childandfamilyagency.org