Exec, Board Named For

New Youth And Family Services Agency

The Boards of Directors of Newtown Youth Services Inc (NYS) and the Family Counseling Center Inc (FCC) appointed an executive director and directors for the soon-to-be-merged agency, to be called Newtown Youth and Family Services, Inc.

Beth Barton, current president of the Family Counseling Center, will serve as executive director when the two nonprofit agencies merge July 1, 2007. In the meantime, she will oversee operations at both agencies, according to Chris Gardner, current chairman of NYS.

“We’re already beginning to merge services together now, and we will proceed toward a full merger of services moving forward through the official merger date,” he said. “For example, the NYS received a substance abuse counseling grant from United Way, and since the FCC is already licensed to deliver those outpatient services, we are having that program administered there now.”

Assisting Ms Barton on the new agency’s staff leadership team will be Joan Bird, finance director; Elise Trock, clinical director; Cher Shannon, substance abuse director; and Roseanne Loring, youth services director.

“We have appointed the most capable and qualified people to roll together the vision and missions of Newtown Youth Services and the Family Counseling Center, and to collaborate with other agencies in and around Newtown,” said Mr Gardner. “They are committed to creating a stronger organization to serve more children and families in Newtown.”

He said the two agencies expect to operate more efficiently as one by merging staffs and consolidating expenses and staff insurance benefits. Money saved will be used to start new positive youth development programs and to hire more counselors in areas like marriage and family therapy and substance abuse.

“At its core, the new agency will continue to be a youth service bureau with a fully licensed and accredited counseling service, with an array of programs for children, adults, and senior citizens,” Mr Gardner said.

He said Ms Barton has more than 20 years experience as executive director for private and public nonprofit organizations, as well as policy development for health and welfare issues for children and families. She has a master’s in social work and has postgraduate training in public administration, and was hired as president of the Family Counseling Center about one year ago.

Ms Barton said both Newtown Youth Services and Family Counseling Center are guided by a common mission of service to the Newtown community.

“We believe that competent and healthy children, adults, and families are a community’s most important resource,” she said. “We are of the opinion that our work belongs to the whole community and it is our privilege to do for it whatever we can. In an age of shrinking resources and increasing demands we have an obligation to utilize these resources in the most cost-effective way. The voluntary merging of the two agencies will ensure that we are able to meet the demand for services now and for future generations.”

Ms Bird has worked at the Family Counseling Center for more than 16 years, and has extensive experience in fiscal management, fundraising, and statistical management. She has a degree in business administration and postgraduate training in audit compliance and nonprofit management, Mr Gardner said.

Ms Trock is a licensed clinical social worker with postgraduate training in child and adolescent psychotherapy and clinical supervision. She has extensive experience in child and family therapy as a consultant to the Board of Education and Interfaith Early Learning Center regarding classroom management of children with behavioral problems, he said.

Ms Shannon has extensive experience in human services administration, substance abuse counseling, and higher education. Mr Gardner said she holds a master’s degree in human service administration, is a licensed and certified alcohol and drug counselor, certified employee assistance professional, and a member of the National Association of Alcoholism and Drug Abuse Counselors.

“Ms Loring has been with Newtown Youth Services for ten years, and has worn many hats,” Mr Gardner said. “Most recently she was the program services, community liaison, and events director.”

She has overseen programs, taught and facilitated groups, developed curriculum for parenting teens, worked with the media in publicizing the agency, advised high school and middle school community service groups, and organized volunteers. She has a BA in theater and English from Albertus Magnus College, and is a former teacher, and is a 30-year resident of Newtown.

Newtown Youth Services, which is located at 10 Glen Road in Sandy Hook, was founded in 1979 to improve the quality of life in Newtown not just with programs and services for young people and parents, but with a philosophy reflecting the enthusiasm, hope and creativity that are the promise of children. The agency envisions a community where young people and their families enthusiastically discover, develop, use, and share their unique and personal gifts, and where the community provides the resources to support them.

It is funded by the Town of Newtown, State Department of Education, the federal government, Newtown Board of Education, United Way of Northern Fairfield County, private foundations and community support.

The Family Counseling Center is at 121 Mt Pleasant Road. It is a nonprofit community agency dedicated to serving the mental health and social service needs of children and adults who live or work in Newtown and other communities in the greater Danbury area.

Founded in 1983, the center offers individual, couple, family, and group therapy, as well as support groups. In addition, psychiatric assessments and follow-up care are available.

The FCC is licensed as an outpatient psychiatric clinic by the Connecticut State Department of Public Health. The Family Counseling Center’s counseling and family education programs are nationally accredited by the Council on Accreditation of Services for Families and Children, Inc.

It is funded by the United Way of Northern Fairfield County, the Town of Newtown, private foundations and community support.