Local
Foundations Support Wheeler Clinic Programs
Wheeler Clinic received several grants from four generous local foundations
and charitable organizations in recent weeks: the Community Chest
of New Britain and Berlin, Ensworth Charitable Foundation, Greater
Hartford Automobile Dealers Association Foundation and The Amity Charitable
Trust.
A
$10,000 grant from the Community Chest of New Britain and
Berlin, Inc. will help Wheeler
Clinic meet the
needs of women seeking services at LifeLine.
Each
year the program meets the special needs of over 300 women recovering
from substance abuse
and trauma-related disorders and their families by providing intensive
outpatient care.
 The
clinic’s Hartford Care Coordination program received
two grants: $5,000 from the Ensworth Charitable Foundation,
Bank of America and $1,000 from the Greater Hartford Automobile
Dealers Association Foundation (pictured left). The Hartford
Care Coordination program partners with area families to
help adolescents receive care that is youth-guided, family-focused
and strength-based. The program served 81 families
last year, and it is anticipated
the
program
will
continue to grow to meet the needs of families in greater
Hartford.
The Amity Charitable Trust awarded $2,000 to the special
education programs to enhance curricula and technology for
students at Northwest Village School. This is the third year
Amity has supported the clinic.
Community support has always been a critical key to helping
the clinic maintain these vital services and reduce the shortfalls
in public funding. We extend our heartfelt appreciation to
these generous foundations for their support of families
in the greater Hartford community.
Photo Caption: Kim Nelson, LCSW, Wheeler Clinic Vice President
of Children's Outpatient Services (at left), Carmen Morales,
care coordinator,
and Ken Crowley of the Greater Hartford Automobile Dealers
Association.
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Golf
Classic Celebrates 25th Anniversary and $700,000 Raised
Over
100 golfers came out to support Wheeler Clinic’s special education programs at the 25th Anniversary
Golf Classic held at the Country Club of Farmington Monday,
June 14, 2010. Golfers and sponsors have raised more than
$700,000 to support Wheeler Clinic programs during the event’s
25-year history, making a difference to thousands of Connecticut
children, adolescents, adults and families.
“The funds raised at this year’s tournament
will support critical technology enhancements and help begin
needed renovation and expansion of the Northwest Village
School facility in Plainville,” said Susan Walkama,
LCSW, president and chief executive officer of Wheeler Clinic. “The
very first tournament in 1986 was also held to raise funds
for the school.”
Tournament chairman
Steve LeFebvre recognized several long-time sponsors of
the tournament, including two
companies who
have played in the tournament since its inception - Production
Fasteners, Inc. of Waterbury and Yarde Metals of Southington.
Production
Fasteners of Waterbury has supported the Wheeler Clinic
Golf Classic during it's
entire 25-year history. (l to r): Steve Daddona, John Hurd
(in back), Sal Maggorie, Domenic Daddona, and Steve LeFebvre.
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New Video Promotes EMPS, Calling 211
 A
new promotional video about Emergency Mobile
Psychiatric Services for Children and Adolescents (EMPS)
features Wheeler Clinic. The five-minute DVD, produced
by the Department of Children
and Families (DCF) and United
Way, describes how
the program
provides immediate mobile response to any child or adolescent
experiencing a mental health crisis in the community, and
that help is just a phone call away by dialing 211.
EMPS
providers throughout the state are presenting the video
to various
organizations including schools, police departments,
parent groups, pediatricians and other professionals who
work with children and families, spreading the word about
the program’s services.
The DVD features
EMPS staff members plus a former client, Tashaina, who shares
her positive experience with the
program. “Words can’t explain how much they’ve
helped me and my family,” Tashaina says at the end
of the video. She did such a great job, DCF invited
her to share her story before attendees at the 2010 National
Systems of Care Conference sponsored by the National Technical
Assistance Center for Children’s Mental Health in Washington,
DC in July.
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