Vision

All children and youth with emotional, behavioral, and mental health challenges, as well as their families, are accepted, welcomed, and valued in their communities.  Caregivers share equal awareness and access to effective resources to support their families. 

Families and youth unite to support one another and learn to advocate for effective, coordinated, family driven services within a system that responds to each family’s culture, unique strengths, and needs as they develop.

Mission

Families United for Children’s Mental Health is a nonprofit family organization run by and for caregivers of children with mental health issues.  We believe children with emotional, behavioral, and mental health challenges can thrive at home, school, and in the community with appropriate, timely, and effective resources and supportive environments. We believe parents and caregivers are critical partners in ensuring a children’s mental health system that supports these goals.  Our mission is to help families achieve better outcomes for their children with mental health issues through support, training, education, advocacy, and referral programs.

We strive to improve the quality of life for children with emotional, behavioral, mental health challenges and their families by building strong family networks and partnering with others to:

• Mobilize parents and caregivers to develop policy and advocacy agenda to improve the children’s mental health system;
  

• Promote family well-being and empowerment by providing the support, information, and education families need to raise their children with emotional, behavioral, and mental health challenges and to participate in the planning, implementation and evaluation of services and systems;
  

• Help state agencies, legislators, systems of care, service providers and schools build family-driven services and systems; and
  

• Train and educate individuals, families, organizations and communities about children’s behavioral health and the needs of our children and families.
  

Families United for Children's Mental Health

A Federation of Families Chapter in Connecticut

  

   Administration

   Deirdre Cotter Garfield, Executive Director

  

   Statewide Support & Advocacy Program

   Families United offers statewide support, education and 

    advocacy by:

• Providing toll-free telephone support

• Support groups

• Local family leadership teams & networks

•Ongoing training and learning opportunities

• System Transformation

Lorna Grivois, Statewide Coordinator

Chris Walker, Statewide Family Support Staff

  Bridgeport Parents Empowerment, Support & Training

(BPEST)

  Families United is working in partnership with families and

  the Park Project in Bridgeport CT to support the

  development, implementation and sustainability of a

  local family support network for children, youth with

  emotional, behavioral and mental health challenges and

  their families.  BPEST provides ongoing partnership

  opportunities between youth, families, and communities

  in order to create a family driven, youth guided, and

  cultural competent system of  care.   Learn more...

Annamarie Saez, BPEST Manager

Jeane Smith, Family Support Partner

Lillia Figueroa, family support staff

Phyllis Harrison , family support staff

  Building Blocks-Early Childhood Initiative

  The mission of Building Blocks is to connect families with

  individualized services and supports to promote social emotional   health for children under six in Southeastern Connecticut. The

  vision of Building Blocks is to transform the mental health 

  system of care for our youngest children and their families.  

  We are committed to expanding the existing system of care for

  early childhood mental health services through the use of

  comprehensive screening, assessment, referral and intervention

  efforts. We welcome all parents and primary caregivers, living

  in  Southeast Connecticut, who are experiencing difficulties with

  their children to contact us and see if we may be able to assist

  your family.  Learn more...

Kathy Carrier, Lead Family Partner

Rachel Smolenski, Lead Family Support

Grace Nelson, Family Partner

Heather Heath, Family Partner

Melissa Jewell, Family Partner

Angela Peacock, Family Support staff