Wheeler 2024 Annual Report: Download your copy.
YOU MADE HOPE POSSIBLE.
Hope took many forms this year, from the delivery of services to nearly 70,000 people across Connecticut, to the remarkable opening of our new flagship administrative headquarters and health center at One Hope Street in Bristol.
We had an amazing year, and we could not have done it without YOU.
Because of you, we brought to life our vision for a new 46,000-square-foot community health center in Bristol. Our move to One Hope Street not only embodies our collective hope for this city and its residents, but our hope for every patient we serve across Connecticut.
Because of you, we expanded innovative treatment for depression to Waterbury. We broadened services for expectant mothers with substance use disorders and their families with support from the Connecticut Department of Mental Health and Addiction Services. We expanded access to care to hundreds of people in Bristol, Plainville, and New Britain through our mobile health and wellness center, providing essential screening services and linkages to additional care. We provided basic needs assistance to individuals and families through our Basic Needs Fund. We served hundreds of students in Bristol and New Britain through our school-based health centers.
Your support also helped foster increased patient growth, and our services continued to grow with the support of nearly $11 million secured in federal and state funding and private foundation grants.
Thank you for embracing hope. Thank you for all that you do to support our commitment to patients and communities.
Sabrina Trocchi, PhD, MPA
President and Chief Executive Officer
Mary C. Rodier, CPA
Chair, Board of Trustees, FY24
MISSION
BOARD OF TRUSTEES
CHAMPIONS OF PROGRESS
A YEAR OF HOPE
HOPE THROUGH PHILANTHROPY
OUTCOMES
CHAMPIONS OF PROGRESS
We gratefully acknowledge our donors who invested more than $1,000 of support of our mission to provide health, recovery, and growth to individuals and families across Connecticut. Read more about how philanthropic investments supported our work.
443 Technologies
Lois Aaron
Access Health CT Small Business
Marian Acker
Allaire Elder Law
Jeffrey and Elizabeth Alquist
Amazon
American Express
AmerisourceBergen
Avanade
Thomas Barnes
Barnes Group Foundation
Melissa Barton and Alexander Hoerman
Christopher Beausoleil
Amy Borg
Bradley, Foster & Sargent Inc.
Bradley Henry Barnes and Leila Upson Barnes Memorial Trust at the Main Street Community Foundation
Lori Ann and David Brantner Fund
Brown & Brown Insurance
Richard and Ann Bucchi
Camilliere, Cloud & Kennedy
Child Health and Development Institute
S. Tucker and Amber Childs
Steven and Alexandra Cohen Foundation
Community Chest of New Britain and Berlin
Community Foundation of Greater New Britain
Connecticut Health Foundation
Mary R. Connolly and Stephen Allaire
Estate of Lorraine Corsini
Downes Construction Company
Patricia Duclos-Miller
Rebecca Eleck-Bruce, MD
Eversource Energy
Eversource Energy Foundation Inc
Figure Eight Properties Inc
Genoa Healthcare
GetzBalich
Gibbs Interwire
Gnazzo Food Center
GO Agency
Gawdys Grullon
Charles and Karen Herbert
Lee Hoffman, MD
Holcomb Farm
Kaoud Oriental Rugs
Dennis and Mary Keenan
Karl Krapek, Sr.
Steven and Patti LeFebvre
Joanne Leon, PhD, LCSW
Tim Libassi
Liberty Bank
Linde
M&T Bank
M&T Charitable Foundation
Manafort Family Foundation
Mashantucket Pequot Tribal Nation
Mary McDonald
Jacqueline and David Mott
Mott Corporation
Jim and Janet Moylan
Mutual of America
Kimberly Nelson, LCSW
Brian O’Donnell
OneDigital Health and Benefits
OutFront Media
Prime Buchholz, LLC
Todd Raymond
Raytheon Technologies
Roger Recck
Pierre and Karen Richard
Mary and Louis Rodier
Lisa Roth
RYAN Business Systems, Inc.
Richard and Linda Salmon
School-based Health Alliance
Nicolangelo Scibelli, LCSW
Southbury Women's Club
John Sponauer
Stanley Black & Decker
John Stephenson
Myron and Desiree Stewart
Suburban Office Products
Athena Szczesniak
Tecton Architects, P.C.
Jane and Dick Tedder
Ann E. Thomas and Michael B. Bonzagni
Gary and Judy Thomas
Thomaston Savings Bank
Rachel and Rich Tressy
William and Laurie Torres
Sabrina Trocchi, Ph.D., MPA
Michael Twist, MD
United Way of Central and Northeastern Connecticut
United Way of West Central Connecticut
Julie and Larry Vigil
Voya Financial and its employees
W.B. Mason Co., Inc.
Susan and Kenneth Walkama
Whittlesey
Dennis and Tamara Williams
Hyekyung Yang, Ph.D.
Yarde Metals
A YEAR OF HOPE
Excellence. Integrity. And More.
A remarkable ribbon cutting and special event marked the opening of Wheeler’s One Hope Street facility in Bristol, which combined services offered previously at 10 and 225 North Main Street.
Wheeler was named a Hartford Courant 2024 Top Workplace for the eighth year and a 2024 Top Workplaces Industry winner for Healthcare, and received accolades for Professional Development and Women-Led Innovation.
In 2023, for the second year in a row, Wheeler earned six Community Health Quality Recognition (CHQR) badges from the federal Health Resources and Services Administration, tied for the most in the state. CHQR badges recognize health center program awardees and look-alikes that have made notable quality improvement achievements in the areas of access, quality, health equity, health information technology, and COVID-19 public health emergency response. In nearly every case, the awards received by Wheeler for 2023 placed it in the top 30 percent of centers nationally.
Wheeler Health announced its “LGBTQ+ Healthcare Equality Leader” designation from the Human Rights Campaign Foundation (HRC). The designation was awarded in the 16th iteration of HRC’s Healthcare Equality Index (HEI). A record 1,065 healthcare facilities actively participated in the HEI 2024 survey and scoring process. Of those participants, 384 received the top score of 100, earning the “LGBTQ+ Healthcare Equality Leader.”
Dr. Joshua Jones, a primary care physician based at Wheeler’s Hartford community health center, was recognized as a Hartford Business Journal Healthcare Hero. Dr. Jones serves patients with substance use disorders at Wheeler’s Susan Walkama Family Health & Wellness Center in Hartford. His medical interests include addiction medicine, LGBTQIA+ care, and high-quality primary care for underserved groups.
Responsive Services. Compassionate Care.
Wheeler continued to expand services to meet the dynamic needs of individuals and families. Innovative therapies for depression and anxiety, including Spravato® and Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (TMS), are now offered in Hartford, New Britain, Waterbury, and Bristol. Walk With Me services for the LGBTQIA+ community continue to be enhanced with generous support from private foundations.
Pregnant and parenting women with substance use issues and their families can access recovery resources, behavioral health, primary care, and additional supports through Wheeler’s Women’s REACH program (Recovery, Engagement, Access, Coaching & Healing). The program is funded by the Connecticut Department of Mental Health and Addiction Services (DMHAS) through a three-year $826,626 grant to Wheeler.
The School-Based Health Alliance provided more than $234,000 in funding to Wheeler for school-based health centers at Pulaski Middle School and Slade Middle School in New Britain and more than $350,000 for school-based health center expansion efforts at Bristol Central High School.
Wheeler received a $16,765 grant from the Community Chest of New Britain and Berlin, Inc., a supporting organization of the Community Foundation of Greater New Britain, and a $7,500 grant from the Community Foundation of Greater New Britain to support its Walk With Me program in that city. The grants will be used to support the work of a peer support specialist and enhance and expand parent/caregiver services for LGBTQIA+ families. In addition, a $2,500 grant from the Eversource Energy Foundation is helping to fund Wheeler’s Walk With Me program through the Susan Walkama Family Health & Wellness Center in Hartford.
Guiding, Serving Our Communities.
An $80,000 grant from the Connecticut Department of Mental Health and Addiction Services and Connecticut Department of Children and Families is funding the Connecticut Substance Exposed Pregnancy Initiative of Connecticut (SEPI-CT) to ensure that Connecticut families have access to the treatment, recovery, and support they need, including prevention of prenatal alcohol exposure.
The Southington Health Outreach project continues into its 10th year with a $121,525 grant from the Bradley Henry Barnes and Leila Upson Barnes Memorial Trust at the Main Street Community Foundation.
Wheeler was named a “Best of Winner” from the readers of The Bristol Press and The Herald for mental health services in both cities.
HOPE THROUGH PHILANTHROPY
Wheeler surpassed its expanded Bristol fundraising goal of $555,000, raising $606,000 in gifts and pledges one and a half years ahead of schedule. Funds support the organization’s flagship administrative headquarters and community health center at One Hope Street, Bristol. More than 500 individual donors contributed to the campaign, through outright gifts and pledges; participation in the 38th Annual Wheeler Golf Classic, which netted approximately $78,000; or by sponsoring a named brick at One Hope Street. Approximately 20 individuals or organizations contributed more than $10,000 in gifts or pledges.
Wheeler’s 39th Annual Golf Classic netted $60,000 to support Wheeler’s Basic Needs Fund, thanks to the generosity of donors, players, and volunteers.
Citing the sometimes-difficult financial balance for parents in frontline health care and teaching careers, an anonymous donor supported childcare and summer camp costs for Wheeler Health employees. The gift provided at least 12 $1,000 stipends for Wheeler employees, and the donor covered the equivalent of the employee portion of the FICA payroll tax to maximize the benefit for employees receiving the award.
Heartfelt Thanks
Two organizations and several individuals were honored by Wheeler for outstanding support of its mission at the organization’s 13th Annual Hands & Hearts event, held virtually, on December 18. This event recognized individuals and families, corporations, and foundations for helping Wheeler to provide equitable access to innovative care that improves health, recovery, and growth at all stages of life. Wheeler has recognized more than 85 philanthropists since the inception of this event.
The 2023 Hands & Hearts Appreciation Award recipients were:
Eversource Energy
A collaboration with Eversource Energy this year supported the purchase of a heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) system for Wheeler’s new community health center at One Hope Street, Bristol, through the Connecticut Neighborhood Assistance Act Tax Credit Program. Additionally, this summer, the Eversource Energy Foundation awarded a $2,500 community impact grant to help support Wheeler’s Walk With Me service line for LGBTQIA+ individuals through its Family Health & Wellness Center in Hartford. This grant helps sustain a peer support specialist position at the health center, which leverages lived experience to ensure that patients feel affirmed and supported throughout their care.
The Frady Family (Bristol, Connecticut)
For the past four years during the holiday season, Joe and Toni Frady of Bristol have provided items for Wheeler families in need. Their acts of kindness and generosity reflect their deeply held core values and serve as teachable moments for members of their own family. Their gifts have addressed the needs of dozens of Wheeler patients, spanning seven programs, including Community Support for Families, Care Coordination, Multisystemic Therapy – Building Stronger Families, Child First, Intensive Family Preservation, Supportive Housing, and Youth and Family TREE.
The Friends and Family of Sam Marszycki
The Samuel Marszycki Scholarship was established in 2021 to support a graduating senior with post-secondary education. It is named in honor of a former paraprofessional at Northwest Village School (NVS) who passed away in June 2020. It was established by family and friends in 2021 in Marszycki’s memory and is supported through donations and the annual Sam-O Scramble Golf Tournament, which marked its third anniversary this past September. The first award in 2021 helped support a graduating NVS senior who went on to study at a local community college. In 2022, the scholarship supported a graduating senior who wished to attend culinary school. The 2023 recipient aims to attend veterinary school.
Francis Vincent (West Hartford, Connecticut)
For the past decade, Francis served in key leadership roles on Wheeler’s Board of Trustees, including vice-chair and chair of the Development Committee. Under his direction and vision, Wheeler established its first capital campaign in decades, set an ambitious goal, and then expanded it, beating it convincingly and ahead of schedule.
Francis’s hard work, drive, and generosity—including a significant leadership gift—were instrumental in Wheeler’s community center at One Hope Street becoming a reality.
That project—a state-of-the-art health center—is the perfect alignment with Francis’s life work and passion of addressing disparities and working toward better health outcomes. The son of a physician, Francis was born in Scotland and raised in both Nigeria and Connecticut. Professionally, he served in executive corporate roles to improve health outcomes and make care more affordable for employers and their employees.
Rachel Tressy and Voya Financial
Rachel Tressy, chief auditor at Voya Financial, and Wheeler trustee serving on the Audit and Quality Committees, exemplifies creative, supportive leadership.
In addition to being a strong individual leadership donor, Rachel has rallied members of the Voya team over the last three years to support One Hope Street and Wheeler’s mission through an innovative employee giving campaign, which has involved more than 100 of her colleagues, who have collectively raised more than $10,000 toward services at Wheeler and in Bristol.
Outcomes
69,888
total number of patients with whom Wheeler interacted or provided direct care. The data point reflects the following:
- 32,954, the total number of patients with whom Wheeler interacted through direct care, telephone, and outreach activities.
- 36,934 inquiries to Wheeler’s Access Line pertaining to statewide substance use, treatment, and support resources, a 17% increase from the previous year.
177,135
Outpatient visits at our Family Health & Wellness Centers, serving 20,963 unique patients.
167,071
Individuals impacted by Connecticut Clearinghouse services, including dissemination of prevention, wellness, mental health promotions, substance use treatment and recovery materials, trainings, conferences, and forums, statewide prevention and awareness campaigns, and more.
155
Families served through Wheeler’s Intensive Family Preservation program, a 19% increase from FY23.
2,759
Wheeler is the largest provider of Mobile Crisis Intervention Services in the state, serving youth in crisis and providing 2,759 episodes of care.
628
Individuals served by Wheeler’s Community Support for Families programs in CFS Region 6 (New Britain and Meriden) and CFS Region 4 (Hartford and Manchester).
1,207
Referrals to Wheeler’s Alternative in the Community (AIC) services across four locations, an increase of 17% from FY 2023.
65%
Employment services clients (64 individuals) in Wheeler’s four Alternative in the Community (AIC) programs obtained employment or enrolled in school/vocational programs, surpassing the 62% statewide benchmark.
263
Clients completed the Parenting Education Program, gaining skills needed to guide their family more safely through the divorce transition process.
248+
Individuals served through Wheeler’s Walk With Me program in Hartford, New Britain, Plainville, and Waterbury.
1,439
Referrals to the Family Violence Education Program, which provides clients with the opportunity to build positive family relational skills and reduce their involvement in the criminal justice system.
696
Referrals to Wheeler’s Pre-Trial Intervention Program, with 92% of clients having completed their evaluation.
54,203
Substance abuse, prevention, and mental health materials were distributed through Change the Script, a statewide opioid prevention campaign managed by Wheeler’s Connecticut Clearinghouse and funded by the Connecticut Department of Mental Health and Addiction Services.
12,000
Approximate number of Navigation Center calls received monthly.
14,700
Pounds of healthy produce provided to Wheeler in 2023 through an innovative partnership with Holcomb Farm. This produce is distributed for free on a seasonal basis to Family Health & Wellness Center patients through the Family to Family program.
287
College faculty, staff, public safety, and residential life staff trained in Mental Health First Aid.
473
Children served through Wheeler’s Early Childhood programs, including Learning-Enhanced Attachment-Based Preschool (LEAP), Child First, Early Child Consultative Partnership, and Healthy Steps.
451
Total number of intakes completed through school-based health centers in Bristol.
