News

18th Jan 2012

 Youth & Family Services Guest Speakers spoke at our meeting on January 18th, 2012

(Picture right to left) Heather McNeil, Executive Director, Old Saybrook Youth & Family Services,  Jerry Lipchus, OSW Club President,  Jaclyn Ward, Executive Director, Westbrook Youth & Family services  Erin McGovern, Clinical therapist, Westbrook Youth & Family Services

Jaclyn spoke of her responsibilities in realigning the business end of WY&FS, budgets, fund raising, staffing, counseling programs, stress management, financial aid, parenting styles, partnering with the school systems, sibling teamwork workshops, play groups, mother daughter seminars, and Help with Autism programs. 

Erin spoke about child abuse prevention and its link to poor financial conditions, lack of formal education, and drug/ alcohol abuse in the home.  Children with a disability are abused twice as much as without.  Professional families, however, are not exempt from these same stats. 

Heather spoke about the OSY&F being partially municipally funded, and partially funded by grant monies, and community gifts like donations from our Club. Programs they offer include a freshman transitional overnight, the wilderness experience (in its 17^th year),  Healthy Community-Healthy Youth, Social Hooks and Liabilities, housing, veterans, energy assistance, Warm the Children, and many others.