The Beacon

Published by:  Bethesda Day Treatment Center, Inc.

 ...let your light shine before men, that they may see your good

deeds and praise your Father in heaven.  Matthew 5:16

March 2007                      Vol. 11 Issue #3    

From the President’s Desk…

Board of Directors

Joseph Pugliese

Chairman

Jerilyn Keen

President

Timothy Gage

Director

Fred Martin

Director

Mary Tiffin

Director  

Chris Bingaman

Director  

Collette Benner

Secretary

Gene McCarty

Treasurer

Advisory Committee

Jerilyn Keen

Scott Constantini

Stephen Gaito

Robert Vanderwall

Jennifer Napp

Don Coleman

William Rossnock

Joseph Talarico

Dr. Elizabth Ciaravino

Thomas Bell

Agent William Weber

Larry Weidman

John Gigunto

Consultants

Dr. Vikas Passi

D&A Medical Director

Dr. Frederick Maue

Mental Health Director

I am so very pleased to announce that as of March 1, 2007, we are officially licensed as a Partial Hospitalization program by the Office of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services (OHMSAS) and approved by the Office of Medical Assistance Programs (OMAP) to provide Intensive Adolescent Treatment Services!!! From even the most remote locations throughout the state, those listening that afternoon when the news came in were able to hear the cheers of victory and sighs of relief at Bethesda Corporate!

Achieving this success was only made possible by the grace of God and the awesome teamwork accomplished by you! The kind of teamwork that was demonstrated throughout this entire process is the fuel that allows Ordinary people to attain Extraordinary results. The fact is that while all teams are groups, not all groups are teams. What separates the two is interdependence. A group becomes a true team only when its members support and enhance each other’s performance and contributions…when we collaborate to achieve results that are bigger and better than those that could be realized individually. It’s what people DO that makes them a team…not the mere fact that they’ve been assembled. Bethesda teams truly are the best of the best. What separates us from the others is this interdependence and the willingness of our team to give the glory and honor to God for all that He has led us through. We acknowledge that He is the Way-maker, able to make the impossible possible. Throughout each step of this long drawn out process, instead of telling God how big this mountain was, as a team, we told the mountain how big our God is and pressed on to reach our goal.

From my heart to yours, 

Jerilyn

President

News from our Administrative Office…

What's in a name?  Well, we have more than our name implies, so it's time for a change.  Bethesda Day Treatment Center was the perfect name in 1983 when day treatment was the only program we provided.  But, with the growth in programs established through the years, our name just doesn't fit.  So, efforts are currently underway to give our agency a new name and a fresh logo.  Stay tuned for our unveiling...it's coming soon!

We congratulate Erica Frey on her promotion to Executive Assistant to the President.  Erica will be assisting at the Administrative Office and will continue to oversee operations at the Group Home during the transition of Jon Gamble into the Program Manager position.  We congratulate Jon on his promotion as well!

Congratulations to Michele Barrows, MA Specialist/Drug & Alcohol Supervisor, and her husband Shannon and sons on the news of twins!  These two miracles are planning their arrival for the end of October!  Best wishes to Michele and Shannon as they prepare for this exciting time!

Bethesda is planning its first ever Gang Issues and School Safety Conference in Mid-August.  We will be partnering with national and regional experts in both fields to provide training for our staff, referring agencies and community leaders.  The conference will equip individuals with the knowledge and abilities needed to help them overcome gang influences within their schools and communities.  This conference will be facilitated by Lewistown Program Manager, Jack Schreck, who has prior experience working as a Gang Liaison in Columbia, Maryland, for a school district with over 150,000 students.  Jack has also worked closely with the McGraw organization, a national crime and law enforcement coalition renowned for training and certifying correction and law enforcement agency officials.

Bethesda clients will be participating in the annual Juvenile Court Judges' Commission Poster Contest and Creative Writing Contest.  This year's theme is "What's In My Tool Kit for Success?"  Nominations are due to the Administrative Office by May 1st in order for internal judging to be completed and the nominations forwarded to JCJC for consideration.

Dwight Evans, Family Systems Specialist at the East Stroudsburg Center and Jon Sharpe, Day Treatment Supervisor at the Milton Center will be attending a Sexual Offender Certified Trainer Program April 22nd through April 27th at Ohio University.

The Bethesda Licensed Outpatient Drug and Alcohol Program will be conducting its first agency-wide clinical staff meeting on May 16, 2007.  This will provide Drug and Alcohol Counselors the opportunity to discuss difficult cases, present positive cases as learning experiences for "what has worked", and receive positive feedback and support from others.  The clinical staffing meetings will be held every quarter and will provide a positive learning experience and fellowship for the Drug and Alcohol staff.

Bethesda Highlights

Gary Shipman, Day Treatment Supervisor of the Montoursville Center, trained staff in Bethesda ’s Family Systems approach on March 22^nd at the Scranton Center.  Gary has truly embraced the concepts of Bethesda’s Family Systems approach and has become an effective presenter in this area.  We look forward to having Gary share his love of Relational Healing by conducting many more trainings on the subject in the near future.

This is “What’s Happening” at Our Centers…

Bloomsburg:  Program Manager Lisa Vandermark extends her appreciation to all of the Bloomsburg staff for doing a fantastic job with AEP and Day Treatment programming.  Keep up the great work!  The staff and clients are anticipating the arrival of warmer weather, which will allow them to perform outdoor community service projects.  In the meantime, the clients continue to assist the Salvation Army.

East Stroudsburg:  Shaun Crump, an AEP Teacher, has recently transferred to a Day Treatment Caseworker position.  The AEP basketball team is getting ready for their first game againt Pocono Academy which was originally scheduled for March 30th.  The AEP clients continue to assist at the Salvation Army as part of their community service efforts.  The Day Treatment clients will be assisting at Burnley Workshop and Retired Senior Volunteer Program as part of their community service efforts again this year.  The staff continue to work together as a united team to ensure that programming continues to run smoothly.

Honesdale:  We welcome Marianne O'Brien, AEP Teacher, as the newest member of the Honesdale Team!  The Honor Club and Pledge students are being given the opportunity to order lunch on Fridays as a reward for positive behavior.  A meeting was held with Stephanie Patten from the Wayne County MH/MR office on March 5th to discuss our upcoming flip as a Partial Hospitalization provider.  The meeting was very productive, as helpful knowledge was gained regarding the intake procedures and treatment planning as we move forward into the Mental Health area.  The AEP students have been involved in a group on the difference between creationism and evolution.

Lewistown:  The Lewistown Day Treatment clients have expanded their community service efforts to include Decatur Township Park, Lewistown Borough Municipal Authority, Salvation Army and local clothing and food banks.  The Lewistown Day Treatment Program will assist once again with the PA Clean Ways Program as well.  This program allows for the clients and staff to assist in keeping local roadways, communities, parks, and trails clean and free of litter.  "Reading" continues to be the word at the Lewistown Center with the AEP students making progress daily.  Great job!

Middleburg Group Home:  We congratulate Jon Gamble on his promotion to Program Manager!  The residents will be cleaning up the yard of branches and other debris that has fallen during the winter.  They will also be preparing their garden area for the upcoming planting season.  The residents are working on some independent living skills in conjunction with schools and referring agencies.  As part of their community service efforts, the boys are assisting the Snyder County Recycling Center with their spring projects.  A possibility of assisting at a local nursing home is also being explored.

Milton:  The Milton Center held a Foster Care Open House on March 14th as an opportunity to recruit additional foster families.  Eight families attended the event to learn more about the program and all that Bethesda has to offer.  Regional Manager Bob Vanderwall, Program Manager John Dunne, Foster Care Coordinator Stephanie Rica, current foster parents and the remaining staff did a tremendous job promoting and coordinating the event.  A special thanks to Foster Parent Kurt Eck, Ethel Pentz, and Janet and Leroy Gotshall for being in attendance and giving the prospective families an "inside look" at the program.  A picture from the Open House of Foster Parent Kurt Eck is on the right!

The "Pennies for Patients" campaign continues to gain momentum as the AEP students and staff continue to raise money for the cause.  Donations were received from Taco Bell, Dunkin Donuts, Mc Donald's, and Pizza Hut to be given to the top givers and top classes each week.  Recent incentives for the students included a field trip to Sensational Sweets candy factory in Lewisburg on March 19th.  As part of an incentive for the students to raise $100 in a week for Pennies for Patients, the students were rewarded with a song written and performed by Teachers Matt Keener, Jim Downy and Kurt Eck.  Kurt wore a dress while Jim serenaded him and Matt played his guitar.  Check out the picture!

Earlier in March the top fundraising group of students were challenged to a "Rock, Paper, Scissors" tournament with the famous champ, Regional Manager Bob Vanderwall!  Of course, Bob won the Rock, Paper, Scissors tournament.  The Milton staff congratulate Caseworker Dominick DeSanto and his wife Amber on their recent marriage on March 10th.  Best wishes!

Montoursville:  With the warmer weather approaching, the Community Service projects are being planned for outside.  The clients are scheduled to assist with cleaning up the local Little League fields.  We thank Community Service Coordinator Todd Puderbach and the clients for their assistance with assembling shelving units to be used in the Administrative storage units.  Clients will also be assisting with various projects, such as painting and cleaning the outside of the building, at the Administrative Office in the coming weeks.    

Scranton:  To celebrate St. Patrick's Day, the AEP students learned the history of Ireland, St. Patrick and all of the folklore associated with it.  Students were then required to wear green or orange in order to participate in cooking and eating a traditional dinner including a potato dish, Irish soda bread and green punch.  All students were able to take part in the festivities.  The AEP students are looking forward to the upcoming basketball tournament against the East Stroudsburg AEP students in April and May.  Drug and Alcohol Counselor Heather Thorburn was able to arrange shirts to be donated for the team.  Thank you, Heather!  The Day Treatment clients continue with their weekly activities with the Big Brothers/Big Sisters Organization.  The month of March consisted of a scavenger hunt, St. Patrick's Day festivities, as well as learning about fire safety and touring a fire truck courtesy of the local fire department.

South Montrose:  The South Montrose Center was selected to receive a grant from the Susquehanna County Drug & Alcohol Commission.  The clients designed anti-tobacco posters that will be displayed on billboards throughout Susquehanna County.  On March 24th, several staff and an Honor Club student participated in the "Bowl for Kids' Sake" charity event held by Big Brother/Big Sisters.  The students have been working diligently on their studies as the third marking period comes to a close.  On March 8th, Drug Enforcement Administration Special Agent Donald Bailey gave an exciting presentation on the relevance and dangers of methamphetamines.  On March 28th, Quartermaster Dennis Yun from the United States Navy spoke with the students about a potential career in the Navy.

Each month we are featuring a member of our Management Team as a way to honor their dedication and commitment to make Bethesda the best it can be!  This month we highlight Stephen Gaito, Regional Manager for the Bloomsburg, East Stroudsburg, and Lehighton Centers .

Steve started at Bethesda in August of 1996 as a Caseworker at what was then the Berwick Center .  He was promoted to Program Manager of the Bloomsburg Center in February 1998, and Regional Manager of the Bloomsburg and Lehighton Centers in September 2002.  In September 2004, Steve began supervising the Sciota Center (now East Stroudsburg ).  Prior to coming to Bethesda , Steve worked with his father at the Berwick Forge.  During college, he interned at SCI Retreat as a counselor for inmates.  Steve holds a Bachelor’s Degree from Bloomsburg University in Criminal Justice with a minor in Sociology and an Associates Degree in Criminal Justice.

Steve and his wife, Keri, are the proud parents of two children, Olivia (age 6) and Cameron (age 3 ½).  In addition to spending time with his family and their newest addition - a puppy, you will find Steve spending time on the golf course, working out at the gym or watching Raider football.

Steve is also involved with his local community.  He has served as President of the Advisory Board for Columbia County Children and Youth during the past 3 years.  He volunteers with Communities that Care, participates in the Score Conference annually and is a board member of Career Link.  In addition, Steve has volunteered with the Columbia County United Way .  Steve is an active participant as a parent helper at his daughter’s school and his son’s pre-school.

Steve offers his thoughts on Bethesda ’s mission and purpose.  “Having worked here for more than ten years, obviously, I believe in Bethesda ’s mission.  I have witnessed first hand the positive force our agency can be with a client and their family.  As a former Caseworker, I understand the feeling of making a connection with the clients.  In my role on the Management Team, I’ve enjoyed watching staff develop and become quality healing professionals.  From the camp experience to drug and alcohol intervention to individual counseling to foster care, I’m a firm believer that Bethesda has a solid, respectable mission and is an organization whose purpose is clear.”

Thank you, Steve, for all that you have given to our agency.  We are blessed to have you on our team!

We extend our appreciation and gratefulness to President Keen for her continuous efforts and for putting her heart and soul into seeing our MA/Mental Health approval to fruition.  She spent hours upon hours making sure that all of the necessary requirements were completed and submitted in order to keep our application moving forward.  Thank you, Jeri, for all that you have done for our agency to become a MA approved Partial Hospitalization provider!  We look forward to the challenges ahead and service opportunities that this will bring to the organization!

Since Bethesda began its tenancy in 1998 with Sordoni Brothers Partnership in Scranton , the two organizations have built a strong working relationship based on our mutual desires to make a difference for the kids in Lackawanna County .  Bethesda would like to acknowledge and thank Angelo Bertinelli, the Assistant Treasurer/Controller for Sordoni Construction Services, Inc., for his tireless efforts in helping Bethesda as we strive in our mission.  Recently, Angelo and Sordoni Construction have offered their assistance in the reconstruction of our lobby and a remodeling project to get our gym into shape.  The number of projects to which Angelo and his organization have offered their assistance throughout the years are far too numerous to mention, but we are grateful for each and every one of them.

Bethesda received a $900 grant from the Williamsport-Lycoming Foundation through the Books of Dreams Project.  These funds will be used to provide foster youth from Lycoming County with clothing, glasses and other personal needs items.  Thanks to Corporate Business Manager Stacey Kifolo for her efforts with the application for this grant as well as the Susquehanna County Drug & Alcohol Commission grant.  Stacey manages to successfully assist in raising funds for additional programs for our clients in addition to all her other responsibilities.

We extend our appreciation to the Milton foster family of Clara and Dennis Kuhns for their gracious donation of $300 worth of meat to the Group Home.  The Kuhns have also offered a special incentive to the Group Home residents of dinner out with their family for making the positive level.  This family goes out of their way to make so many youth feel loved.  They are amazing and we thank them for their kindness!

 We once again extend our gratefulness to President Keen and her family for their continued financial support in March.  Your kindness is appreciated!  

President Keen and Jennifer Napp have taken on an increase in private counseling referrals to their many other duties.  Michele Barrows now has several outpatient Drug and Alcohol counseling clients being seen at the Administrative office as well.

Our Therapeutic Touch!

This month our focus is on the “therapeutic touch” at the Lehighton Center .   

The staff of the Lehighton Center have recently started a new series of leadership groups with the Day Treatment clients.  The groups focus on identifying and developing leaders, the qualities of a leader, leadership norms, and how to be a responsible leader.  Program Manager Kevin Loch, Day Treatment Supervisor Megan Goff and Drug and Alcohol Counselor Jessy Miller have been coordinating these very special groups to develop their client  leaders.  As part of these groups, the staff are emphasizing a quote by John Quincy Adams which states, “If your actions inspire others to dream more, learn more, do more, and become more, you are a leader.”

 The clients have been responding positively to these groups.  They are taking steps to become more invested in their treatment.  One client in particular, Eddie, has really begun to make strides towards becoming a positive leader.  Although he has only been at Bethesda a relatively short period of time, he has completed his Honor Club Pledge Journal and has earned respect among his peers.  The Lehighton staff are proud of Eddie and the success he has had in the program.  We wish each of the clients the very best as they continue to develop into tomorrow’s strongest leaders.

EMPLOYEE OF THE MONTH….

Sally Edler, Secretary at the Montoursville Center, was selected as Bethesda's Exceptional Employee of the Month for March.  We are honored to give this recognition to Sally for being the "thread that holds the many programs together" at the Montoursville Center.  Her vast knowledge of the programs is a tremendous asset.  She does a great job ensuring that the billing and reports for each program are completed accurately and efficiently.  We commend Sally for her dedication and commitment to the staff and clients at the Montoursville Center and to the agency as a whole!  Sally went above and beyond to assist the Milton Center with their billing during the recent absence of their secretary.

The following staff were also nominated for Employee of the Month for March:

Dawn Burrafato, Teacher's Aide at the East Stroudsburg Center

Lee Viola, Head Community Monitor at the Honesdale Center

John Evans, Community Monitor at the Scranton Center

Doreen Armitage, Teacher at the South Montrose Center

We thank these staff for their hard work and dedication!

Welcome to our family…

Eric Hogan, Teacher’s Aide, East Stroudsburg

Harry Ladlee, Teacher’s Aide, East Stroudsburg

Marianne O’Brien, Teacher, Honesdale

Julie Klinger, Teacher, Bloomsburg

Cynquetta Rabb, Teacher’s Aide, East Stroudsburg

May is Mental Health Month

For more than fifty years, the U.S. has celebrated May as Mental Health Month to raise awareness of mental illnesses, the impact of mental illnesses and the importance of mental wellness for all.  This tradition helps improve the lives of millions of Americans.  The theme for this year’s observance is MIND Your Health, which focuses on the mind-body connection.  Research shows that being healthy doesn’t pertain just to our physical health – our mental and physical well-being go hand in hand.

 We invite you to work together with us to send the MIND Your Health message louder and farther than ever this May.  Please remind your clients that caring for their mental health is key to their overall health; and that caring for their minds as well as their emotions will keep them healthier, happier and more productive.  Please help us spread the message in May, and every month, that most mental health problems, such as depression and anxiety disorders, are as treatable as physical illnesses.