Riverside Community Care has merged with the Guidance Center, a child and family service agency serving Cambridge, Somerville and surrounding communities. The Guidance Center, which has been an invaluable resource in the Cambridge area since 1954, provides an array of services to help children and families cope with developmental, mental health, social and behavioral difficulties. The Center's services support the goals of all parents: to see their children imagine hopeful futures and grow into healthy productive members of the community.  
 
The Guidance Center will retain its name and services in Cambridge and Somerville. Borja Alvarez de Toledo, who had been VP of Operations for The Guidance Center, is the Division Director for Riverside's newly-created Child and Family Division. Susan C. Ayers, The Guidance Center's former Executive Director, is now the Director of Development of Child and Family Services for Riverside. 
 
Riverside and the Guidance Center are integrating operations and will continue existing programs in their respective geographic areas.  Riverside's core service area extends throughout eastern and central Massachusetts, offering a broad range of health and human services to children and adults, including mental health care, developmental disability and brain injury programs, substance abuse treatment and early childhood services. 
 
 "The Guidance Center's vibrant commitment to family-centered and community-based work is complimented by Riverside, ensuring that Massachusetts' children and families will continue to receive the most effective and efficient care," said Ms. Ayers.  Scott M. Bock, Riverside President/CEO, is equally enthusiastic about the merger noting that "This strategic partnership, which combines the two organizations' expertise, resources and long-standing traditions of providing high quality care to children and families is mutually beneficial for our organizations."

 

 

 

Five State Agencies Join Parents, Providers and Schools to Promote Violence-Free Learning and Living Environments

 

Fourteen community members from the Southeastern Mass. Recovery Learning Community (RLC) were honored at a graduation ceremony after they recently completed Mary Ellen Copeland's Mental Health Recovery including Wellness Recovery Action Plan (WRAP), a journey of recovery and self discovery. The 2010 graduates are Vincent Soldani, Laurie Ryan, Cathy Lima, Pat Belliveau, Pat Colbert, Stanley Stinson, Janice Faith, Joann Ciborowski, Stephen Casey, Rose Wyman, Rick Ciaccio, Mary Elliott, Ellen Delano and Briana Spencer.
 
This is the second time Elizabeth Amaral, CPS, of the SEA RLC, and Bob Rousseau, CPS, New Bedford PACT mobile treatment team, partnered to bring WRAP to individuals from two different agencies.  Representatives Andy Dawley from Community Counseling of Bristol County and Veronica Delano from Fellowship Health Resources attended the ceremony.
 
Andy Dawley spoke of his experience of WRAP in action. "I've seen first-hand how WRAP can enrich a person's recovery. I've had the opportunity to watch Elizabeth learn and grow by using her plan. A WRAP plan is a living and breathing document. Your plan should not just be placed on a shelf because the work you have done is far too important not to continue." 
 
Joann Ciborowski, graduate and peer specialist at Fellowship's New Bedford Community Based Flexible Support Program (CBFS) remarked, "I feel more confident personally and professionally as a peer specialist. I have another tool on my tool belt."
 
Stanley Stinson, co-chair of the RLC's Guiding Council and Adult Basic Education teacher for the RLC, commented on the many wellness tools he is discovering on a day-to-day basis. One of these calming activities includes working on building and painting model cars.
 
All graduates received a certificate of completion and several received certificates for perfect attendance. Each graduate now has the ability to offer a one-to-one individual WRAP to someone who is interested.
 
Bob Rousseau delighted the gathering by bringing his keyboard and sharing a beautiful song of recovery. "When You've Been Hurt Inside," an original song written by Rousseau, is an ode to sitting with pain during difficult times. Rousseau says, "What makes us all human is that we suffer. Recovery happens when we transform our suffering into growth."
 
Fourteen individuals now have a new tool and a way of managing and/or eliminating uncomfortable thoughts, feelings and emotions. The closeness and true eagerness of every individual to be present was wonderful.

The SEA RLC holds a WRAP support group every Wednesday from 2 to 3 p.m. for folks who wish to further their plan. For more information contact Elizabeth Amaral at 508-828-4537 ext. 103 or [email protected].  For a WRAP presentation in your area contact Elizabeth or Bob Rousseau at 508-997-6300 or [email protected].