Monthly Newsletter for The Counseling Center of Wayne and Holmes Counties

Edition: July 2009

NEW BOARD MEMBERS WELCOMED

Joining the Counseling Center Board of Trustees this month, representing Holmes County are: Diane Stromme Mast, retired attorney, from Millersburg and Renee Woods, also of Millersburg, who is employed as an Administrator with the West Holmes Local Schools.   Newly elected Board officers, as of July 1, are:

Chair:  Tami Lowe (Doylestown) Senior Director of Business Operations and Finance, University of Akron Wayne College

Vice-Chair:  Allan Rodd (Wooster), President and Treasurer, Wooster Brush

Secretary:  Mary Ann Goudy, R.N. (Millersburg), Retired

Treasurer:   John Cook, C.P.A. (Wooster), Long, Cook and Samsa, Inc.

STAFF TRAINING

Four members of the Counseling Center recently received specialized training in the assessment, diagnosis, and care management of postpartum depression.  Attending the training provided by Jeanne Watson Driscoll, Ph.D., were:  Jeanne Miller, M.S., P.C. and Beth Hofstetter, M.S.W., L.S.W., both therapists in the Wooster office; Laurie Johnson, M.S.W., L.I.S.W.- S., therapist in the Millersburg office and Angela Grywalsky, B.A., L.S.W., community education specialist. 

In addition, Cindy Orlasky, Ph.D., Vice-President and Chief Clinical Officer and

Diane Meyer, M.S.W., L.I.S.W., Director of Emergency Services, participated in a regional meeting with other crisis program directors from northeastern Ohio.  The focus of the group is to network about the delivery of crisis intervention services and suicide prevention activities.

ADDITIONAL LAY-OFFS

Due to the state’s delay in finalizing a budget for mental health and other services, the Center has temporarily laid off three staff members, in addition to the 17 that were terminated earlier in the year.  Positions that are waiting word on the state budget include two family support aides, working with at-risk children, and a specialist in early childhood mental health.

YEAR END REPORT

During the fiscal year which ended on June 30, the Counseling Center provided 164,450 units of service, despite closing three service programs during the year due to budget cuts.  As of June 30, the Center was maintaining an open caseload of 3,367 different persons.  Demand continues to grow and is expected to become even more problematic as the effects of additional state budget cuts on mental health and other social services become finalized.