The Kent Center News and Events

Great Turnout for Roberts Street Artists at Gallery Z
It was a full house throughout the evening of May 27th, with many people coming out to support The Kent Center's Robert's Street Artists and to admire the beautiful glass installation piece that they created. The piece, entitled Recovery, was installed in Gallery Z's public art window for the month of May and a reception with the artists was held on May 27th. Special thanks to Gallery Z for the wonderful opportunity.

For sale at the event were double matted prints and note cards featuring the work of the artists. Click here if interested in viewing and purchasing prints or note cards .

PUBLIC NOTICE: April 12, 2010
The Kent Center Housing Office
Mainstream Housing Choice Voucher Program
The Kent Center hereby serves notice that the waiting list for the Mainstream Housing Choice Voucher Program will open Monday April 12, 2010 to individuals and families who meet the following criteria:

The Voucher Program is the federal government's program for assisting eligible families to locate and rent decent, safe and sanitary housing in the private market. Since the rental assistance is provided on behalf of the individual or family, participants are able to find and lease privately owned housing, including single family homes, townhouses and apartments.

The participant is free to choose any housing that meets the requirements of the program and is not limited to units in subsidized housing developments.

Vouchers are administered locally by public housing agencies. The Kent Center Housing Office receives federal funds from HUD to administer the program. A family is issued a voucher and is responsible for finding and selecting a suitable apartment. That may be the unit where the family is presently living. Apartments must meet minimum standards of health and safety, as determined by HUD's Housing Quality Standards and The Kent Center's Administrative Plan. A rental subsidy is paid directly by The Kent Center to the landlord on behalf of the participating family. The family then pays a rent amount based on regulatory formulas.

PRESS RELEASE: February 2, 2010
Billy Andrade-Brad Faxon Charities for Children Awards $5,000 Grant
to The Kent Center's Youth & Family Services
(Warwick, RI)—The Billy Andrade-Brad Faxon Charities for Children has awarded a grant of $5,000 to The Kent Center's Youth & Family Services Division. The grant will support individual and family therapy for children who are facing an emotional health challenge, such as depression and anxiety, and /or have experienced trauma through abuse and neglect, and are uninsured or underinsured for these services.

"We know that childhood trauma has many long-term mental health and general health repercussions that last into adulthood if they are not addressed or if they are inadequately addressed," explains Barbara Lamoureux, a Program Manager within the Center's Youth & Family Division. "Proper treatment is vital for the health and future of these children. However, because of new limitations with funding streams, we see many children who are underinsured for therapeutic services. This generous gift from the Andrade-Faxon Charities for Children helps us to overcome these funding hurdles and to provide the best possible care to children in need of support."

The Andrade-Faxon Charities for Children strives to improve the quality of life for at-risk children in Rhode Island and Southeastern Massachusetts by funding projects or programs that directly target their needs. The foundation was established in 1990 by professional golfers and native Rhode Islanders, Billy Andrade and Brad Faxon. Since its inception, over $7.5 million has been raised for children's charities.

Established in 1976, The Kent Center's serves adults, children and families through a wide range of mental health, substance abuse, and trauma-related services. The Kent Center served over 4,100 people in 2009. The Center's Youth & Family Division provides children's psychiatric services, individual and group counseling, case management and emergency services, an ADHD evaluation clinic, and family support services such as family therapy, parent education classes and parent aide services. To learn more, visit www.thekentcenter.org.

PRESS RELEASE: January 26, 2010
New Officers Installed to Kent Center Board of Directors
(Warwick, RI)—The Kent Center has installed new officers to its Board of Directors. Taking over the chairmanship of the Board is Larry Goldberg. Larry joined The Kent Center Board in 2004 and serves as the Chair of its Fundraising Committee. Additionally, Larry is on the Advisory Board for the Center's Hillsgrove House. Larry is Housing Manager at Gatsby Housing Associates and is an active member of the Warwick Rotary Club.

Other new officers include Jean Gavigan who is stepping from the Chair position to Vice Chair. Jean is the sole proprietor of Hodge Graphics, a Warwick-based graphic design and strategic marketing company. Jean serves on many subcommittees of the Board including its Citizens Advisory Committee, which seeks to reduce the stigma associated with mental illness. She is also a member and former Chair of the Central Rhode Island Chamber of Commerce.

The Kent Center's new Treasurer and Chair of its Finance Committee is Chad Bjorklund. Chad joined The Kent Center Board in 2005, and serves on several additional committees including pension and strategic planning. Chad is an account executive at Gencorp Insurance Group in East Greenwich. He is also an active member of the Warwick Rotary Club.

Rounding out the new team of officers at The Kent Center is Brenda Diko, who will serve as Secretary. Prior to joining the Board in 2007, Brenda served on the Advisory Board for Hillsgrove House for many years. Brenda worked in the banking industry for 20 years, most recently as a Senior Recruiter for Sovereign Bank. Since leaving Sovereign in 2009, Brenda has worked as a consultant.

"I know that this new team will provide strong leadership for us at The Kent Center," stated President & CEO David Lauterbach. "As there are for many organizations, there are challenging times ahead for the Center. I have great confidence however that Larry and his fellow officers will help to steer us through them."

Founded in 1976, The Kent Center's mission is to improve the quality of life for people who are struggling with behavioral health challenges. Through a full range of mental health, substance abuse and trauma-related services, The Kent Center assists over 4,100 members of our community a year, including adults with a severe and persistent mental illness, children and teens struggling with emotional difficulties, and families in need of support.

October 2009
$1.9 Million Federal Grant Received
The Kent Center and the Rhode Island Department of Mental Health, Retardation & Hospitals (MHRH) have received a grant of $1.9 million to be paid over five years from the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration. The grant will fund the creation and implementation of the Rhode Island Jail Diversion and Trauma Recovery Program (RIJDTRP).

"We are so very pleased to have been awarded this highly competitive federal grant," stated Kent Center CEO David Lauterbach. "It is thanks to the good work that The Kent Center has done over the years in the courts, with the police, and with treatment providers around the issue of becoming trauma informed, that we were able to successfully compete for this grant. We are grateful to the RI Department of Mental Health, Retardation and Hospitals for their faith in The Kent Center and for their partnership in preparing this grant. We look forward to providing our military veterans and others whose lives have been negatively impacted by trauma and who have come in contact with the criminal justice system with an alternative to incarceration and a path towards recovery."

Our leaders in state government also expressed their great satisfaction with the grant award. "The men and women who serve in our Armed Forces with bravery, dignity, and honor deserve to have access to quality programs to help transition back to civilian life," said Governor Donald L. Carcieri. "This grant will further the already excellent programs offered by MHRH and The Kent Center that help our veterans and their families."

Craig Stenning, Director of MHRH, continued, "We are very pleased that the federal government recognized our past work to address the needs of veterans, returning soldiers and their families by selecting RI for this grant. These funds will allow us to expand our efforts to help veterans and others suffering PTSD and other trauma-related disorders."

PRESS RELEASE: July 1, 2009
Rite Aid Foundation Awards a $10,000 Grant to The Kent Center
(Warwick, RI)—The Rite Aid Foundation has awarded a grant of $10,000 to The Kent Center's Youth & Family Services Division. The grant will help to fund group therapy/psycho-educational sessions for children who are facing an emotional or behavioral health challenge and /or have experienced trauma, and are uninsured for these services.

"Group therapy has proven to be an effective tool in helping children and adolescents learn and understand how to have healthy interactions with others, how to identify and end or ameliorate unhealthy relationships, and how to develop coping and social skills," explained Barbara Lamoureux, a Program Manager within the Center's Youth & Family Division. "Funding group therapy can be a challenge, so we are thrilled to have received this support from The Rite Aid Foundation to provide these very important services."

"The Rite Aid Foundation is pleased to partner with The Kent Center in providing therapy to uninsured victims of childhood trauma," said Gayle Rife, manager of the Rite Aid Foundation. "Services provided through this program are vital in helping these children overcome very difficult challenges. Through the counseling they receive these children ultimately learn the skills they need to be lead healthy and productive lives."

Established in 1976, The Kent Center provides a wide range of mental health and substance abuse treatment services to nearly 4,000 people, including 800 children, annually.

The Center's Youth & Family Division has run group therapy/psycho-educational sessions for over 10 years. Groups have focused on anger management, developing social skills, depression management, expressive arts, teen relationships and dating violence, among others. All groups are research based and demonstrate long-term outcomes. Learn more about services offered at The Kent Center at www.thekentcenter.org.

The Rite Aid Foundation, founded in July 2001, is a not-for-profit foundation dedicated to helping people in the communities Rite Aid serves. Rite Aid Corporation is one of the nation's leading drugstore chains with nearly 4,900 stores in 31 states and the District of Columbia with fiscal 2009 annual sales of $26.1 billion. Information about Rite Aid, including corporate background and press releases, is available through the company's website at http://www.riteaid.com.

PRESS RELEASE: May 4, 2009
An Exhibit and Meet the Artists Reception
In honor of Mental Health Awareness Month, several works of art created by The Kent Center's Roberts Street artists will be on display at the Simon Says Café, located at 96 Main Street in East Greenwich, for the month of May. A Meet the Artists reception will be held on May 14th from 5-8 p.m. as part of the annual Main Street Artists stroll. The public is invited to attend. Mental Health Month is a national effort during the month of May to help raise awareness about mental illness and to dispel the lingering stigma too often still associated with mental illness. To see more works of art created by the Robert Street artists, log onto The Kent Center's online art gallery at www.thekentcenter.org

PRESS RELEASE: May 4, 2009
Congressmen Langevin Tours Kent Center's Flagship Building

(L-R): Kent Center psychiatrist Dr. Liliya Koyfman; Todd Seaback, Campaign Chairman; Congressman Langevin; and Kent Center staff member Maryann Grundy.

(Warwick, RI)—On May 1st, Congressman Jim Langevin visited The Kent Center at its new flagship building, located on Post Road in the Greenwood section of Warwick. Kent Center President & CEO David Lauterbach gave the Congressman a tour of the 30,000 square foot facility in which the Center operates its community support programs for adults with severe and persistent mental illness, its youth and family programs, and its housing office. Annually, over 1,700 people receive services at the Center's Post Road facility, and nearly 4,000 at Center sites throughout Kent County.

Congressman Langevin spent considerable time speaking with Kent Center staff members, and signed a baseball cap for one staff member's son who plays for the Congressman's Little League team, The Langevin Reps. Following the tour, Congressman Langevin, who is an Honorary Co-Chair of The Campaign for The Kent Center's New Home, and Campaign Chairman Todd Seaback co-hosted an intimate luncheon for a few local business leaders.

"I am pleased to serve as an honorary co-chair of The Kent Center's Capital Campaign because I know how important the work done by Center staff is in the lives of people with mental health and substance abuse challenges," stated Congressman Langevin, "and the Campaign will ultimately help to expand the availability of behavioral health services to all in need in our communities."

PRESS RELEASE: February 25, 2009
Centreville Bank Increases Support for Kent Center's Capital Campaign

(L-R): Chad Bjorklund, Kent Center Board of Directors; Robert A. Bjorklund, Executive Vice President, Centreville Bank; David Lauterbach, President/CEO, The Kent Center; Raymond J. Bolster, II, President/CEO, Centreville Bank; Todd Seaback, Vice President, RI Temps.

(Warwick, RI)-- Centreville Bank has made a second gift of $5,000 to The Campaign for The Kent Center's New Home, bringing their level of support to $10,000 to date. The Kent Center, a community behavioral healthcare organization that provides mental health and substance abuse services to nearly 4,000 adults, children and families a year, has undertaken a Capital Campaign to support the purchase of its new flagship building, located on Post Road in Warwick. The goal of the Campaign is to raise a minimum of $1.6 million. Over $1,000,000 has been raised thus far.

Centreville Bank's President/CEO, Raymond J. Bolster, II, and Executive Vice President, Robert A. Bjorklund, presented the check to The Kent Center's Board of Directors on February 24th. "As one of the first corporate supporters of our Campaign, Centreville Bank certainly has much to do with our success to date, and we are most appreciative for the company's early and ongoing support," stated Todd Seaback, Vice President of RI Temps, a Kent Center Board Member, and the Campaign's Chairman.

Centreville Bank was founded in 1828. Its main office and branch is located in West Warwick and it has additional branches in Cranston, Coventry, East Greenwich, West Greenwich and Wickford. To learn more log onto www.centrevillebank.com. And to learn more about The Campaign for The Kent Center's New Home log onto www.thekentcenter.org.

February 10, 2009
Washington Trust Pledges Support for Kent Center Campaign
The Washington Trust Charitable Foundation has pledged its support for The Campaign for The Kent Center's New Home with a gift of $25,000 payable over five years. Kent Center staff and volunteers had the opportunity to thank Washington Trust Chairman and CEO John Warren during his visit to the Center on February 10th. Mr. Warren toured The Kent Center's new flagship building, and then made a visit to the Center's Hillsgrove House, where he joined members, staff and other guests for lunch.

"We are thrilled that Washington Trust is so generously supporting our Campaign," stated Kent Center CEO David Lauterbach. "And to have John Warren spend so much time with us was a true honor."

The Washington Trust Charitable Foundation is the philanthropic giving arm of The Washington Trust Company. Founded in 1800, Washington Trust is the largest independent bank in Rhode Island and the oldest community bank in the nation. To learn more visit www.washtrust.com. And to learn more about The Campaign for The Kent Center's New Home, please click here or call 691-6000, x335.

Michael Integlia, Jr., member of the Campaign Honorary Committee; John Warren; David Lauterbach; Lori Dufficy, Vice President, Washington Trust Company and member of the Campaign Leadership Committee; and Michael Integlia, III.

John Warren, Michael Integlia Jr., Michael Integlia III, and Lori Dufficy tour Hillsgrove House and have lunch with members.