A Publication by Bethesda PA Treatment & Healing

www.pathtochange.org

August & September 2007, Volume 1, Issue 2

Board of Directors

Joseph Pugliese

Chairman

Jerilyn Keen

President

Timothy Gage

Director

Fred Martin

Director

Mary Tiffin

Director  

Chris Bingaman

Director  

Stacey Kifolo

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

Captain William Weber

Larry Weidman

John Gigunto

Matthew Yonkin

Consultants

Dr. Vikas Passi

D&A Medical Director

Dr. Frederick Maue

Mental Health Director 

Dr. Matthew Emery

Psychological Consultant

Dr. Hugh Smith & Associates

Psychological Consultants

He Will Direct Your PATH

Mind constantly racing trying to figure out solutions to your problems?  Do you struggle with worry to the point that you lie awake at night for hours?   Instead of worrying try turning whatever you are stressing about over to God.  In Proverbs 3:5, we are told to “trust in the Lord with all of our heart and not lean upon our own understanding…”

Worrying doesn’t change the situation and it seldom helps us feel better.  It usually makes us more irritable and cranky from lack of sleep.  When faced with a problem our job is to think positive, to strategize, to do what we can, and to have faith that God will bring us through it.  Believe that God is fighting our battles for us.  He promises that “no weapon formed against us will prosper”.

It is not possible to worry and believe at the same time.  One always cancels out the other.  We must shake off worry and not allow negative thoughts to take control of our emotions.  We must resist the urge to dwell on the worst case scenario.  The worst rarely ever occurs anyway.     Resist magnifying your problems and instead magnify your God! Remember He is for you, with you, and in you!  Have your mind made up that you will trust God to bring you through whatever you are facing today and in the future. 

In 2 Chronicles 20:12, when Jehoshaphat and his people were being attacked from all sides, they admitted they didn’t know what to do so they turned their eyes toward God.  He is bigger than any problem. Instead of worrying turn to Him and say, “I don’t know what to do but my eyes are upon you Lord!”  Believe God can make a way.  Just because you don’t have an answer doesn’t mean that God doesn’t have a plan.  Turn it over to Him and have peace knowing that you may not know what to do, but you know the One who does!

Sometimes God delivers us from a problem and sometimes He brings us through it. Like Shadraq, Meshaq and Abendigo, God took them through the fiery furnace and brought them out untouched!  Not a hair on their heads was singed and they didn’t even smell like smoke.  When you know that you have done all there is to do, rest knowing that God has a plan.  “My thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways,” declares the Lord.  As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are His ways higher than your ways and His thoughts higher than your thoughts (Isaiah 55: 8&9).

There is no obstacle you can’t overcome with Him.  He is responsible for speaking the heavens and earth into existence and for flinging the stars into the sky.  Our faith doesn’t keep us from having problems.  It simply helps us get through them.  When we find ourselves in a difficult situation that is when we have the potential to grow the most.  Trust that He is bigger than anything you may face.  Shake off the worry and make it God’s battle, not your battle.  He doesn’t want us to be weighted down with worry.  Relax knowing that He is in total control.  No believer should live with chronic worry, all stressed out.  Believe that He is going to take care of whatever you are struggling with and then rest in the palm of His hand!

Acknowledge God in all of your ways and He will direct your PATH – Proverbs 3:6.

All My Very Best,

Jerilyn

Jerilyn A. Keen, M.A.

President

News from our Corporate Office…

The month of August brought the end of summer and the beginning of a brand new school year.  We welcome back our seasoned teaching staff and extend a warm welcome to all the new staff who have joined our team for the 2007-2008 school year!  We look forward to a great year!

We welcome a new face to the Corporate Office!  Tanya Printzenhoff has joined our family as our new Office Assistant.  Tanya brings a cheerful and upbeat personality to our reception area.  Please extend a warm welcome to her the next time you call or visit the Corporate Office!    

MA Specialist & Drug & Alcohol Administrative Supervisor, Michele Barrows is officially off on maternity leave.  We wish her and her family the best as they prepare for the upcoming births of their twin boys!  Our prayers are with them for a quick and healthy delivery! 

Congratulations to Program Compliance Manager, Erica Frey for successfully completing the DPW Medication Administration Mid-Level Training on September 19^th.  Erica will be our Agency trainer and will be visiting the centers to train our staff in the Medication Administration procedures.  Way to go, Erica!

President Keen would like to thank Chairman Pugliese and the Directors of the Board for giving so generously of their most precious commodity – time.  These professionals have contributed countless hours towards furthering the mission of this Agency.  Thank you Directors Gage, Martin, Bingaman, Tiffin and Pugliese for your wisdom and continuous support!

President Keen would also like to acknowledge the staff and family members who have given countless hours to the Agency by painting, moving, decorating, cleaning, remodeling and more!  It moves her deeply to hear about daughters, sons, fiancés, wives and staff who are pitching in without complaints to do whatever it take to make their Center great!  You all are awesome!

Bethesda Highlights

On September 12^th, Francis McAndrew, Executive Director from White Deer Run conducted a Multicultural Education Training for our staff.  We had a full-house for the training with the information being very well received.

Joe Myers, Program Representative from the Department of Health visited the Corporate Office on September 13^th and 14^th for the annual inspection of the Drug & Alcohol Program operated through the Corporate Office.  We congratulate Michele Barrows and President Keen on the success of the inspection!

On September 26^th, President Keen conducted Oppositional Defiant Disorder and Conduct Disorder Training at the Corporate Office.  Thanks, Jeri, for taking time to offer this training to our staff!

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

PATH - Bloomsburg:  The Day Treatment clients enjoyed a trip to Rickett's Glenn State Park to hike the trails. They also were able to attend a ball game during the Little League World Series. We welcome Jodee Strine to the Bloomsburg Center as the new Clinical Supervisor. Jodee comes to us with knowledge in the Mental Health field. We look forward to working with you!

PATH - East Stroudsburg:  The staff were busy in August getting ready for the new school year giving the building a fresh coat of paint. We welcome back Jamie Getting to our Agency as a Teacher in the AEP. The Day Treatment clients have been assisting the RSVP Organization and have recently assisted with staining a railing and handicap ramp.

PATH - Honesdale:  Regional Manager Scott Constantini attended the Wayne County Children's Integrated Service Meeting at the end of August to promote our services. The Day Treatment clients assisted with the Senior Picnic in Hawley, at the Waymart Recycling Drop-off and weeding the sidewalks of Honesdale. The community was extremely appreciative of the staff and clients for the service they provided. The AEP staff have been busy orientating the new students on the norms and procedures of the program. 

PATH - Lehighton:  We welcome Bob Schaeffer to the Lehighton AEP as our new Special Education Teacher. The Day Treatment clients will be assisting with cleaning up the Panther Valley High School football field on Saturday morning after the Friday night games. The clients have started participating in team building groups and have demonstrated leadership and trust in one another through activities such as the human knot and welded ankles.

PATH - Group Home - Middleburg:  Final preparations were completed at the Group Home to secure our BDAP license as part of becoming a licensed Recovery House.  We thank Jenn Napp and Jon Gamble as well as Erica Frey and Michele Barrows for their assistance in this process!  The residents are enjoying offering their services to the elderly at the Penn Lutheran Village every Wednesday and Saturday.  The boys continue to assist at the local recycling centers as well.

PATH - Milton:  We welcome back the school staff as well as a new face - Harry Harter as our new Teacher. The staff are geared up for another successful year! On August 22nd, several Honor Club members and positive clients were treated to a fun-filled day at Hershey Park. The clients had a great time! We welcome Clinical Supervisor Denise Scott to the Milton Center. We are so excited to have her on the team!

PATH - Montoursville:  The Community Service clients received certificates of recognition for their efforts assisting at the Little Pine State Park. We congratulate Todd Puderbach on becoming our new Be Challenged Coordinator. We welcome Gary Evans as our new Community Service Coordinator! We are so excited about the Montoursville Center moving to our newly purchased facility in Williamsport. This new building offers the much needed space for the various programs currently based at the Montoursville Center. We thank the staff and clients for thier efforts in preparing for the move. Programming will begin at the new facility in October. Congratulations to Caseworker Jeremy Eck on his recent marriage on August 25th!

PATH - South Montrose:  We welcome back the AEP staff to the South Montrose Center for another school year. The staff spent a week training and preparing for the school year. The students are getting orientated with the norms and expectations of the program. The Day Treatment clients have been busy with programming, focusing on anger management, self-esteem, drug and alcohol education as well as relationship-based Cognitive Behavioral Therapy concepts in their group counseling. The clients have been assisting the Great Bend Community Park with their community service efforts. We welcome back Cindy Wohlken to our family as the Clinical Supervisor at the South Montrose Center!

PATH - State College:  The Lewistown Center has been successfully relocated to State College. Many thanks are extended to all of the State College staff and their families who have been working diligently and painting every inch of the center from top to bottom. The teamwork exhibited from the staff has been exemplary. We are so excited for the positive opportunities to serve the youth and families from Centre County and love our location which boasts scenic views of Mount Nittany. Check out the PATH pride in the photos from the new State College center. Students and clients have been enjoying some outdoor structured recreation which was not feasible at our old location. Entertaining games of football were held during gym class. Staff, students, and clients have embraced the positive developments that are occurring as a result of the move. We have welcomed many visitors to the new center who were curious about our services and the renovations. We thank the Corporate Office and our referring agents for their support and understanding during our period of transition. We welcome Special Education teacher Nancy Rawding to the State College team. Jenn and Jack want to extend special thanks to President Keen and her husband Bill for securing a new stove for the center.

Each month we are featuring a member of our Management Team as a way to honor their dedication and commitment to make our Agency the best it can be!  This month we highlight Lisa Alfieri, Program Manager of our East Stroudsburg Center.

Lisa and her husband, Victor, are the proud parents of Noah, their 2½ year old son. Lisa attended East Stroudsburg University and graduated in 1993 with a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Criminal Justice. Prior to working at Bethesda, Lisa worked at The Pines Residential Treatment Center and The Crisis Intervention Home in Virginia Beach, Virginia.

During her free time, Lisa enjoys spending time with her son. She also enjoys visiting her parents’ vacation home in Florida, spending time on the beach with family and friends. Lisa is also an avid New York Yankees fan and tries to attend as many games as possible. 

Lisa shares her thoughts on PATH’s mission, “I strongly believe in the entire family systems process. You can see it working and helping to heal the clients and their families on so many levels, in so many ways.”  Thank you, Lisa, for your efforts and dedication in putting our relationship-based treatment into action to heal the clients and family!

Our Therapeutic Touch!

This month we focus our “therapeutic touch” on our State College Center.

State College students have begun a weekly Art Therapy class in which they are learning a broadened definition of art and what constitutes art.  Students recently spent time learning origami, and will be learning music appreciation, free drawing, prospective drawing, clay art, food as art, and art as a part of culture.  Students have been excited about the interactive and fun activities that are planned with staff over the first semester of the school year.  Students are amazed at their abilities.

Social workers Erica Penepacker and Hillary Worley are working with Day Treatment clients on building coping skills and are emphasizing how to appropriately deal with negative life situations which occur unexpectedly.  Erica states, "Instead of simply dealing with naturally occurring adolescent angst and peer relations, we are building their tool boxes to include how to deal with life's curve balls in a positive way so that they ultimately are more successful."

Our heartfelt thanks to President Keen and her family for their monetary donations in July, August and September.  Thank you!

Congratulations to the Employees of the Quarter for April through June 2007.  Those staff are:

• Karen Brenchley, Secretary at the Bloomsburg Center;

• Lee Viola, Head Community Monitor at the Honesdale Center;

• Deb Wolfe, Secretary at the Milton Center;

• Jeremy Eck, Social Worker at the Montoursville Center;

• Tara Gillick, Social Worker at the Scranton Center; and

• Mark Robinson, Teacher at the South Montrose Center .

We extend our gratitude to Jackie Halesky of the Susquehanna County Drug and Alcohol Commission for her donation to the South Montrose Center. The Center was blessed with waiting room chairs, office chairs, desks, conference table and a lamp. Thank you for your generosity!

We thank Program Compliance Manager Erica Frey and Administrative Assistant Michelle Finck for their efforts in learning the MA billing process.  Michelle and Erica will be submitting the Drug and Alcohol and Intensive Adolescent Programs Managed Care billing while Michele Barrows is on maternity leave.  Thanks, ladies, for being so willing to fill in with such an eager and positive attitude!

EMPLOYEE OF THE MONTH….

The following staff were also nominated for Employees of the Month for September:

v     Hillary Zilber, Social Worker at the East Stroudsburg Center;

v     Gina Mavromatis, Drug & Alcohol Counselor/Social Worker at the Honesdale Center; and

v     Roy Houseknecht, Community Monitor at the Montoursville Center .

We thank these staff for their dedication to our Agency!

Welcome to our family…

• Jack Neuls, Teacher, Scranton                              

• Jodee Strine, Clinical Supervisor, Bloomsburg

• Harry Harter, Teacher, Milton                               

• Jamie Getting, Teacher, East Stroudsburg

• Carrie Haney, Teacher, Milton                              

• Katherine Drick, Teacher, Montoursville     

• Denise Scott, Clinical Supervisor, Milton               

• Michelle Finney, Social Worker, Lehighton 

• Alissa Hilliard, Teacher’s Aide, East Stroudsburg

• Cindy Wohlken, Clinical Supervisor, South Montrose

• Bob Schaeffer, Special Education Teacher, Lehighton  

• Nancy Rawding, Special Education Teacher, State College

• Gary Evans, Community Service Coordinator, Montoursville