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Dear Friends,
CHR sees the power of Real Hope every day. Across a broad range of programs, services and locations throughout central and eastern Connecticut, CHR helps people of all ages find the treatments, tools and resources to build happy, healthy lives. This is especially true in the wake of the pandemic as the demand for behavioral health services continues to skyrocket.
None of this would be possible without CHR’s amazing and essential workforce of clinicians, case workers, peers, prescribers, administrators and more. Their commitment is unstoppable, as evidenced in the data below. Equally vital are our loyal friends and donors who stood with CHR throughout the pandemic. Thank you for your unwavering support!
We hope you enjoy this snapshot of CHR’s recent achievements, including our ongoing Diversity, Equity and Inclusion journey. We look forward to providing Real Hope for Real Life for many years to come.
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Sincerely,
Heather M. Gates, President/CEO
Cy Hess/Chair, CHR Board of Directors
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"It doesn’t matter how far you’ve fallen…Recovery is there. There are people that care.” – William
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"When I wake up in the morning and I’m sitting on the porch, MY porch, and I’m breathing, just looking at the trees. It makes me realize that I am here. This is something that I’ve cried about many times and wished that it would happen. I’m doing it. I did it. I’m here. I’m alive. It’s like a breath of fresh air that never goes away.” – Noel
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"I lost everything…I’d take one step forward and I’d take three back. Once I took full responsibility for it, things got really good…A lot has changed, and it happened pretty quickly.” – Karen
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"I think I wouldn’t be alive if it wasn’t for Bernadette and the CHR
program. I’m off the streets. I have my own place. I pay rent. I feel great. For the first time in my life I’m happy, genuinely happy.” – Kimberly
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The DE&I Journey Continues | CHR’s journey to become a more just and equitable agency moved forward in 2022, with more than 20 interactive thought-provoking training sessions for staff and managers and the development of a road-map to help embed DE&I principles into the fabric of the agency. CHR is now in the second year of its engagement with Leading Culture Solutions, in close collaboration with CHR’s Chief Diversity Officer, Turkesa Antrum. The learning collaborative continues to inspire and engage people throughout the agency.k | | |
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Congratulations to Healthcare Hero Turkessa Antrum! | Turkessa Antrum, CHR’s Chief Human Resources Officer and Chief Diversity Officer was named a 2022 Healthcare Hero by the Hartford Business Journal. This honor recognized her work managing unprecedented staffing challenges throughout the pandemic and at the same time, launching CHR’s multi-year Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DE&I) learning collaborative. | | |
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CHR Applauds Roll-Out of 988 |
With the rollout of the new national 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline number, available by dialing 988, people have “one more door” to find CHR.
Modelled after 911, the 988 initiative was created to make it easier to connect people in crisis with the right care, right away.
For CHR, 988 directs more calls to our adult and child mobile crisis teams, both of which have experienced double-digit increases in demand since 2021, and creates an easy way for people to find our services.
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New Outpatient Site Dedicated in Willimantic | Together with U.S. Congressman Joe Courtney, state Senator Cathy Ossen and other leaders, CHR officially dedicated its new outpatient building on 1310 Main Street in Willimantic last summer. The 11,000 square-foot building includes outpatient behavioral health services for children, families and adults in a welcoming and friendly environment and continues CHR longstanding commitment to northeastern CT. | | |
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Heather M. Gates, Top 25 Women in Business 2022 Honoree |
In recognition of her business acumen, extraordinary leadership and unrelenting compassion for the most vulnerable and marginalized individuals in our state, Heather Gates, President and CEO of CHR was honored by the Hartford Business Journal as one of the Top 25 Women in Business. k
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Doors Open at The HUB in Manchester | Together with Manchester Mayor Jay Moran, CHR dedicated a new home for the Hub, a social-rehabilitation center, on 520 Center Street in Manchester. Previously known as the Club House, the Hub is at the heart of CHR’s mission and provides adults in recovery to a place of learning, discovery, hope and enrichment. It literally is a hub of activities that support recovery, including wellness groups, supported employment programming, case management services and a community pantry for Connecticut Food Share.k | | |
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A Top Workplace for 9 Years in a Row! |
For the 9th year in a row, CHR was named a Top
Workplace among large employers in CT! In addition, CHR was the highest-ranking human services provider in our employer category and received the Top Training award among large employers.k
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CHR Secures 3 Prestigious Federal Grants |
CHR was awarded three prestigious federal grants to meet the needs of children, families and adults in the aftermath of the pandemic. CHR competed nationally for all three grants, each of which is administered by the U.S. Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services
Administration (SAMHSA).
Awards included two Certified Community Behavioral Health Clinic (CCBHC) grants, in North-Central and Northeastern CT, as well as grant to provide trauma-treatments to children and teens in CHR clinics, including school-based clinics. k
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