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Family & Children's Service of Ithaca is dedicated to providing affordable, professional services that support children, families, and organizations in finding solutions to the challenges of life today.

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Jim Johnston featured in Tompkins Trust Company Ad

Throughout our long history of providing affordable, compassionate care to Ithaca and the surrounding community, Tompkins Trust Company has been a cornerstone of Family & Children's Service. The solid, dependable financial support that we've received has enabled us to assist thousands of people in need on their journey towards a healthier life. Thank you Tompkins Trust Company, for helping us to promote access to mental health services for everyone. We are truly honored to be featured as one of your family partners this year!

Annual Meeting

From Left to Right: President & CEO Jim Johnston, Board member Carolyn Neuman, and New York State Commissioner of Mental Health, Dr. Michael Hogan

Official says family care helps treat mental health

Local nonprofit cited for work with children

By Stacey Shackford
Correspondent

ITHACA – It is the fastest growing segment of an already burdensome portion of our national economy, yet the most effective treatment for mental health can be done at very little cost – by fostering family support and hope.

Addressing a room full of social workers, caretakers, and community supporters Friday at the annual meeting of Family and Children’s Service of Ithaca, New York State Commissioner of Mental Health, Michael Hogan, warned the spending increasing sums on pharmaceuticals was not the solution to what has become an enormous societal challenge.

“There is no childhood mental health disorder cured through pharmaceuticals,” Dr. Hogan said.  “There is no treatment of mental health that, absent of the involvement of family, can be effective.”

He congratulated Family and Children’s Service for providing outstanding local family-based services, which he said should be at the heart of all treatment.

Of the 3,110 clients served by the nonprofit agency last year, 800 were children and their families.  Dr. Hogan said this was vital work, as mental health treatment is no longer primarily the domain of middle-aged adults in crisis sitting on a couch in a therapist’s office, but is instead shifting into the classroom, living room and playground. 

Half of us will experience some level of mental health challenges in our lifetime, he said, and the average age at which we do so is 14 years old.  Up to 75 percent occurs before the age of 23, and mental illness has become the dominant chronic illness of youth.

In his time as chairman of the President’s New Freedom Commission on Mental Health in 2002-2003, Dr. Hogan – a Cornell University graduate – said he sought out examples of good practice on which to base future national programs, and found those centered around family were the most successful.

“The single and most potent intervention we have in this work is hope,” he said.  “In the research world, we call it placebo, and it can be the most powerful tool across health care.”

Family & Children’s Service board member Carolyn Neuman, who is also a Cornell University trustee, highlighted the agency’s achievements during the past year, which included reaching 86 percent of its $2.5 million capital campaign goal.

The organization, which operates an outpatient clinic, respite, employee assistance and other mental health programs, also relocated to the Greenstate Building on West State Street with plans to expand its services.

“The matrix of local services offered here in Tompkins County helps sustain our town-and-gown relationship and supports the community during stressful periods,” Neuman said.  “This year has certainly been a stressful period.”

2009 Family Partner of the Year

From Left to Right: President & CEO Jim Johnston, Family Partner Chair Steve Fontana, and Family Partner of the Year, Warren Real Estate's Bryan Warren

Warren Real Estate of Ithaca was named the 2009 Family Partner of the Year by Family & Children’s Service of Ithaca. Each year Family & Children’s Service of Ithaca celebrates the extraordinary philanthropy of our local businesses by recognizing among their colleagues a business that has distinguished itself in this elite group. Warren Real Estate has long committed to the health and growth of our local community and believes strongly in supporting local organizations and vendors to help benefit our own local economy and community. Their passion for improving the quality of life in Tompkins County and for providing first class quality and personal service has been the heart of their mission since 1953. 
Family & Children’s Service has benefited from Warren Real Estate’s consistent generosity and support for over a decade.   From the inception of our annual gala, Cayuga at Twilight, Warren Real Estate has provided generous sponsorship.  They continue to support this event year after year as the Event Sponsor donating significant resources that support our Children’s Mental Health Program.  In addition to their financial support, we have benefited from the commitment and dedication of individual employees of Warren Real Estate who have served on our Board and a variety of committees. 
Warren Real Estate’s corporate philanthropy is far reaching… well beyond supporting Family & Children’s Service, Warren Real Estate has supported the Better Housing of Tompkins County, Lions Club, Cayuga Medical Center, Paleontological Research Institute, Habitat for Humanity and the Franziska Racker Centers…. this is just a short list of beneficiaries of their generosity and commitment to enhancing the quality of life in Tompkins County.

Not-for-profits throughout Ithaca have been the beneficiaries the extensive philanthropy of Warren Real Estate of Ithaca in our community, Family and Children’s Service of Ithaca is pleased to recognize the philanthropic scope of the Warren Real Estate of Ithaca.