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.