Fellowship Place Announces the Grand Opening of our Psychosocial Rehab Center

On October 18, 2012, Fellowship Place hosted the grand opening of our newly renovated Psychosocial Rehab Center. Joining Fellowship Place’s Executive Director Mary A. Guerrera for the morning dedication and ribbon cutting were Fellowship Place’s Board President Ronald A. Netter, Senator Richard Blumenthal, Dept. of Mental Health and Addiction Services Commissioner Patricia Rehmer, and State Representative Patricia Dillon. Over 100 New Haven community leaders, collaborators, and dignitaries were on scene. Fellowship Place members also participated in the opening; attendees heard a personal account of the impact the renovations have had on the men & women who come to the center for a variety of illness management activities and programming.

The new state of the art center, completely renovated with a $1 million Connecticut State Bond Fund award and private donations is a $1.2 million investment that will have a lasting impact on our neighborhood and its long-term revitalization goals. The building includes expanded program & meeting spaces to help us better meet the needs of the men & women who come to our campus annually for meals, rehabilitation, counseling and a variety of support services.

For over 50 years, Fellowship Place has offered a safe place where those with chronic mental illness in our community can ask for and receive help overcoming the challenges of living with their illness. On a campus setting in downtown New Haven, our agency serves more than 600 people annually of which the majority suffers from Schizophrenia, Bipolar Disorder, and Major Depression. Open 365 days per year, we provide a safe and therapeutic environment where those suffering from chronic mental illness may find productive ways to structure their day and connect with others who face similar life challenges. Programs are designed to improve individual functioning and management of one’s own mental illness, including but not limited to: Prevocational & Vocational Services, Supported Education Services, Supported Housing Services, Homeless Outreach & Engagement, an Alternative to Incarceration day reporting program (CREST), Social & Recreational Activities, Health & Wellness Programming, Life Skills Management, and daily meals. The agency is committed to helping the mentally ill, their families, and the public realize that with proper treatment and support, people with a mental illness can be successful and contribute to the vibrancy of our community.

The Fellowship Place AllStars Softball Team are the 2012 League Champs

On Saturday September 8, 2012, The Fellowship AllStars completed another successful season, adding tournament champs to its resume as 2012 League Champs. The AllStars defeated Hartford’s Chrysalis Center, 19 to 3 in the first game and defeated Middletown, 20 to 6. The AllStars combined a tight defense with a powerful offensive display; with everyone contributing. This game was the last game for William Brennan, who was filling in for Coach Ron Hazlett during his medical leave. “I am so proud of the AllStars of 2012,” says Hazlett, “and want to commend William Brennan on the wonderful job he did in preparing this AllStar Championship Team.”

Fellowship Place’s Career Development Services to Host a Member Recognition Awards Ceremony

On Thursday, Oct. 25 at 11:00am at the Fellowship Place Clubhouse, Fellowship Place’s Career Development Services will honor members for their outstanding achievements in pursuing their individual career goals. Recognitions and awards will honor those who have recently started on a career path, were promoted, completed a semester of school, graduated from an education program, or started volunteering in the community.

Fellowship Place’s Newly Renovated Psychosocial Rehab Center to Open in the Fall

Fellowship Place is thrilled to announce the opening of our newly renovated Psychosocial Rehab Center. Made possible by State Bond Funding and private funds from supporters of Fellowship Place’s Comprehensive Campaign, the center will open this fall with a wide range of programming to support the mentally ill in our community. For more information, please contact Melissa Holroyd, Development Director, mholroyd@fellowshipplace.org.

The Fellowship Place AllStars Softball Team To Compete in the Mental Health League Softball Tournament

On Saturday, Sept. 8, at 10:00 am, the Fellowship Place AllStars Softball Team will compete in the Mental Health League Softball Tournament. The event will take place at the Moody School, 300 Country Club Rd., Middletown, CT.

Fellowship Place Board Member, Daniel Koenigsberg, MD, awarded 2012 NAMI Exemplary Psychiatrist Award

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Date: June 25, 2012

The National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) has honored Fellowship Place Board Member, Daniel Koenigsberg, MD, as a recipient of their 2012 NAMI Exemplary Psychiatrist Award. He is recognized for his substantial contributions to NAMI activities in providing treatment to those with mental illness, educating families and the public about mental illness, and his efforts to eliminate prejudice and discrimination for those with mental illness. One of 15 Psychiatrists honored, and the only one from Connecticut, Dr. Koenigsberg received the honor at a special ceremony during the American Psychiatric Association’s annual meeting in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania in May 2012.

Dr. Koenigsberg is the Former Chairman of the Dept. of Psychiatry at the Hospital of St. Raphael in New Haven, CT and Associate Clinical Professor, Yale Medical School. As a member of the Board of Directors of Fellowship Place, a non-profit that provides psychosocial rehabilitation services and supported housing for adults with chronic mental illness, Dr. Koenigsberg has served on numerous Board committees as both Chair and member. He is a strong advocate for community based mental health programs and has worked with other members of the Fellowship Board to preserve state funding for supported housing, access to medication, and other services. “We are proud of his contributions as a member of our Board” states Fellowship Place Executive Director, Mary A. Guerrera, “his tireless efforts in our community to improve the quality of life for those with mental illness, and his dedication to educating family members and the public about mental illness.”

“I was pleased to be acknowledged by the preeminent mental health patient advocacy group in the US at its annual meeting in Washington DC,” says Dr. Koenigsberg, “having spent a career developing programs for the mentally ill and promoting access to care more broadly, it was particularly gratifying to be recognized by this distinguished organization.”
According to the NAMI Connecticut website, NAMI is the nation’s leading grassroots family and consumer organization dedicated to improving the lives of people with serious mental illnesses and their families, NAMI-CT is now the strongest family and consumer organization in the state, serving thousands of people and promoting community health and awareness.

For over a half century Fellowship Place has provided critical services to adults suffering from chronic mental illness in our community. On a campus setting in downtown New Haven, nearly 600 people are served annually. We are the only agency of its kind in the greater New Haven area supporting the severely mentally ill population 7 days a week, 365 days per year, offering a comprehensive program of supportive services that include Employment Services, Supported Housing, Supported Education, Social Rehabilitation, Homeless Engagement and CREST, an alternative to incarceration program. For more information about Fellowship Place, please visit www.fellowshipplace.org or contact Melissa Holroyd, Development Director, (203) 401-4227 x1211 or mholroyd@fellowshipplace.org.