UCSunited counseling service

2009/2010annual report

BOARD OF DIRECTORS:

Gerrit W. Kouwenhoven, President

William Morgan, Vice President

Roberta Lynch Carroll, Secretary

Robert Thompson, Treasurer

Angela ArbolinoWilliam BaldwinGlenn ComarJoanna MintzerJim MirendaGenevieve StrohmaierJoe O’Dea,

Counsel to the Board

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United Counseling Service100 Ledge Hill DrivePO Box 588Bennington, Vermont 05201www.ucsvt.org

OUR MISSIOn We help people improve their

quality of life.

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This past year, we experienced the third consecutive round of budget cuts resulting from the poor economy. When faced with budget cuts, our approach is always to absorb the reduction administratively as much as possible before cutting services. So we battled to find creative ways to reduce spending and preserve programming for clients.

While our budget dropped, our workload rose as we responded to community needs and helped people and families manage their own compelling concerns. Figures at the end of this report make clear that we served more people than ever before.

As we look ahead, budget forecasts show no improvement; so we will continue to innovate better, more efficient ways to meet the needs of the community and maintain the nationally recognized quality care we provide.

Fortunately, we still have our greatest resources—our talented and dedicated staff.

For that reason, we’re optimistic about changes that lie ahead; optimistic that the heart and soul of our agency will continue to do what it does best—namely, to address the needs of children, families, and adults and strengthen the community. And that’s great work.

Despite economic challenges . . .

Gerrit KouwenhovenBoard President

Ralph ProvenzaExecutive Director

UCS

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UCS brought the band Flame to Bennington in November. Bassist Nick Robinson and the other nine band members each have disabilities, such as Down's syndrome and blindness. Yet they combine for powerful, inspiring performances.

"Got Understanding?" The t-shirts highlighted how easy it is to connect to people with mental illness. Participants wore the shirts in May for the 3K walk in Bennington to raise money for NAMI, the National Alliance on Mental Illness.

96% of the Developmental Services clients who want to work have jobs—one of last year's success stories. What's behind it? Plain old entrepreneurial spirit! Many clients have launched their own business, such as Scotty, who now operates a successful bagel catering business.

UCS

A new Green Jobs grant will help 16 to 22 year old youth to train and get skills in green industry jobs, such as renewable energy technology, weatherization, sustainable farming, recycling, landscaping and construction.

The annual UCS Health, Wellness & Safety Fair in August featured local groups and businesses that exhibited ways to get active and healthy. Open to staff, clients and the hospital community, the fair attracted hundreds to see interactive demonstrations.

With new stimulus funding, Head Start began collaboration with the Northshire Day School in Manchester. Family Support Worker Lori Morrissey, pictured with NDS Director Carol Kern (l), helped children acquire skills and parents meet family needs, such as parenting, education, and transportation.

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UCS Executive Director Ralph Provenza went to Washington, DC, in June to advocate for mental health care with Vermont Council Executive Director Julie Tessler and community mental health and developmental service directors from around the country.

In May UCS Outpatient Mental Health Director David O'Brien welcomed Susan Tohn, MA, the featured presenter at the 4th annual UCS Clinical Conference in Bennington, where Tohn trained dozens of clinicians in counseling approaches that improve outcomes and increase efficiency.

With help from the Henderson Foundation and The Permanent Fund, Big Brothers Big Sisters expanded to provide mentoring for kids in the Northshire and to develop mentoring programs for children at Arlington, Dorset, MEMS, and Sunderland. BBBS was also chosen to be a beneficiary of Moosefest 2009.

UCSThe UCS Staff Recognition Luncheon in June recognized board member Bill Baldwin (with board president Gerrit Kouwenhoven) with the Harold C. "Archie" Warner Memorial Award for contributions to Head Start and Big Brothers Big Sisters.

UCS gives special recognition for long-term service and this year award winners reached record numbers. Here the ten-year staff members received their awards.

A state initiative, the medical home project aimed to integrate mental and physical health care. UCS clinicians worked in selected physicians' offices in the county to offer counseling and therapy directly to patients. The doctors and patients all saw many positive outcomes. UCS counselor Elizabeth Vassey saw clients at Dr. David King's practice, Shaftsbury Medical Associates.

Local teens have been working together to create a safe space to relax where they can enjoy substance-free events with friends and build healthy relationships. During the year, youth leaders of the Teens for Change (T4C) program launched the program and planned several successful activities for youth in the community.

united counseling service

ThAnkS to the following individu-als and businesses who contributed to the UCS Annual Giving Program in support of therapeutic services. Your support en-abled UCS to provide 154 people or families with 510 hours of treatment, including individual, group, and psychiatric care.

Put another way, 10% of the people who needed outpatient treatment were served because of these generous gifts. For every 10 people who came for help, one depended on gifts to the Annual Giving Program.

For every one of these people, treatment was a fresh start that enabled extraordinary change and the opportunity to shine once more — whether for regular guys broken down from family loss; for moms who needed to learn how to nurture themselves for once; or for adults working to shake life’s traumas and move ahead.

Thank you.

Ethan AllenAnonymous

CatamountFrederick and Judith BuechnerPeter and June DavisAnonymous — Advised Fund of the Vermont Community FoundationWalker and Dricka Kimball, Jr.Anonymous in memory of Joseph and Hortense Mintzer and in honor of Gerrit W. KouwenhovenAnonymousThe Bank of BenningtonFrederick and Constance West

Green MountainNicholas and Dorothy DanforthFinn & Stone, Inc.Kent and Anne GatlingGary D. Goldberg and Diana MeehanRobert and Cora May HoweAnonymousAnonymous Paul Parker and Sandra L. ReadKarl Pfister IIIVermont Country StoreLangdon Wheeler and Katherine Metcalfe

TaconicAnonymousMichael and Diana BickfordWilliam and Ruth BotzowColonel Roger BrownAnonymous Charles and Jane Childs, Jr.Austin and Gillian ChinnAnonymousEric and Carol ConeDonald and Patricia DorrRichard and Martha HeilemannRichard and Ann JacksonDonald and Verrall KeelanBill and Jan KettererManchester Lions ClubAnonymousMerck Partnership for GivingAnonymousKeith and Pam NemlichDavid and Gail O’BrienWilbur and Suzanne RiceRoss and Alice Sandler in honor of Joanna Mintzer, Donald Ferrell, and Robert PiniNancy Scattergood and Peter Reed Donovan

Robert and Anna TaggartTheodore and Norma Thomas, Jr.Town of WinhallUnited Church Dorset/E Rupert Women’s FellowshipRudolph and Margaret Weaver in memory of Emma Weaver

EquinoxAbacus AutomationMarcia AhlborgAnonymousHenry and Georgia AshforthAspen MotelHelmut and Alma AugensteinAlan Binnick and Freida WimmelmanRichard BlackAnonymousMichael and Cathy BradyCarbone Automotive GroupJohn and Debbie CaveKen and Lila CestoneWilliam and Sheila ChildsRalph Colin, Jr.AnonymousMarlyn CoutureGerard Curran and Bonnie Bell-CurranHenry H. DaviesSteven and Janie DearAnonymousJeremy and Claudia DoleStu and Shelli DuBoffPhilip and Ann EhretDick and Janet FabriciusJames FaszholzFederated Church of East ArlingtonMarc and Robin FisherWalter and Margery FreedBarbara Geer in honor of Pam BolusAnonymousH. Greenberg & Son, Inc.Norman and Selma GreenbergScott HamnerTimothy and Frances HolbrookElex and Nancy JohnsonHugh JohnsonPhyllis KaplanAnonymousGreg King and Sharon CotterellJohn and Marie LaPentaJames and Pat Lee, Jr.Lovejoy Chaplet CorporationFred and Maureen LoyTed and Adele MaddocksMyles MahoneyManchester Discount BeverageMichael and Susan McKenna

UCSKeith and Patty MichlDavid W. Mooney, Sr.Bruce and Nancy NashPhilip and Frances O’NeillPalmer HouseElsie ParisPatton InkPension Works, Inc.Daniel and Judy PerreaultClaudia PetersBob and Helen PezzulichRobert C. Pini and Miroslava Prazak in honor of Kip WalkerElizabeth PostPrice Chopper’s Golub FoundationAnonymousRalph and Mary ProvenzaKenneth and Margaret Roberts, Jr.AnonymousCarlin W. Scherer, Ph.D.Marc and Fronia SimpsonRaymond and Joanne SmithDonald and Renee SnyderThomas and Nancy SteffenRolf SternbergTaconicThe Bay and Paul Foundations, Inc.AnonymousJens and Nicole WestrickAnonymousJeffrey and Jacquelyne WilsonD. Patrick and Kim WinburnWitten, Woolmington, Campbell, Boepple PCLambert Zoller, Jr.

WalloomsacIrving AdlerRandall S. AnselmoJoseph and Sue Bamford, Jr.Bernard and Celia Bandman in honor of Anne GatlingBank of America FoundationTerry BeachBennington Elks Lodge #567Bruce BixlerRoger and Julia Bolton in honor of Nicholas Danforth, M.D.Bruce and Patricia Bourhill in honor of Gerrit W. KouwenhovenBrewster AntiquesDavid S. BrownBen and Jeanne BrumaghimGail BuslGeoffry and Pamela CampeAnonymousCharles and Kathryn Chamberlain

Philip and Linda ChapmanEugene and Elisabeth ClarkMarshall and Melanie ClarkChristopher and Irene ColeEdwin and Barbara ColvinJames and Lodie ColvinMary ConditStephen and Joan CornellRobert CostantinoJohn S. CuemanBrian and Jan CunninghamTheresa DeMasiJulian and Sergine DixonTherese E. Dranginis and Kirke McVayFraternal Order of Eagles #1861John and Mary English, Jr.Frank C. FamianoThomas FergusonFirst Baptist Church Mary & Martha FellowshipRichard and Virginia FreemanOakley FrostAnonymousKaren GanzFlora GarstenWalter GilbertRoy and Eleanor GirasaAudrey J. GiumarraMorris and Arlene GoldfarbRuth GoldstoneJohn and Elizabeth GrahamWalter and Marion Granruth, Jr.Edgar and Melissa GreasonDale Gulbrandsen and Sally MoleRichard and Judith HaightChristopher and Lois HatchJohn HearstHeinel’s ClothiersSteven Hemkens in honor of Megan BrooksAnonymousHill & Thompson, P.C.Alexander and Marion HoffmanHelen HoldenGerald and Mary JepsonWilliam and Lori Jerome

George S. JonesAnonymousAlex and Irene KhowayloWilliam L. King, Jr.Neil LandresAnonymousAlan and Terry LindseyGeorge and Linda LongAnonymousDeirdre A. LynchE. P. Mahar & Son Funeral HomeJohn MalcolmMarjorie ManningMary McGuinnessJohn and Christine McMahonRon and Laine MenshMerck Forest & Farmland CenterClaire MerrittJean E. MillerAnonymousAxel and Anna MundigoEric NisensonNorthshire Management, LLCEmmely ParksPeter and Taimi PassaroThe PharmacyCharles and Linda PutneyQuadra-Tekr. k. Miles, Inc.AnonymousLee and Susan RomanoJane SchaefferElizabeth ShermanSonny’s Blue Benn DinerSpice N’ NiceMargot Starr KernanKatherine Stone in honor of Gerrit W. KouwenhovenDorothy Ann SweeneyAnonymousEdythe Tennant in memory of John K. Schneider IIIAnonymousRobert and Marilyn Verhaeghe in memory of Laura and WendyVermont Roofing Company, Inc.

Ethan AllenCatamountGreen MountainTaconicEquinoxWalloomsacBatten Kill

$5,000 and above1,000 to 4,999

500 to 999200 to 499100 to 199

50 to 991 to 49

ATWOOD SOCIETy LEvELS OF GIvInG:All UCS board members contribute to the Annual Giving Program. They are listed as “Anonymous.”

united counseling service

Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 1332Phillip and Ellen ViereckRobert Waite and Diane WelebitJames and Barbara WestJohn and Deborah Williams IIWard and Janet WilsonRobert and Margaret WoolmingtonRobert and Nancy Zapletal

Batten killRobert and Gloria AlexanderGeorge and Rita AllardLeonard AnzivinoRichard and Charlotte BartholomaeLois Miller BeardwoodAlbert BellElizabeth BenedictAdrian and Elisabeth BeukenkampPhyllis BinkleyAnonymousAnonymousRaymond and Rachella BoltonLeesa BradleyBrickstone DesignHarry and Nancy Briggs, Sr.Katherine BryanRaymond L. CarangioPhebe Ann Clarke LewisPaul and Dorothy CraneAnthony and Joan CupaiuoloAnonymousAnonymousMichael T. DowneyThelma DundonFred and Noreen DunnPatricia J. DupreeWilliam and Nancy EricksonMary FeidnerMiriam Kellogg FredenthalRobert and Linda GabrieleDavid and Stacy GatesAnne GiudiceMatt and Cindy GrangerHelen GreaneyLouis and Marie GuarinielloDorothy HalvorsenDean and Janet HansonFrederick Harvey in memory of Glenna HarveyHuc and Pat HauserPeter and Lisa Hillman in memory of Gregory Scott HillmanDavid and Diane HowardBarbara HowlandDavid and Grace JareckieMary JonesRoger D. Jones

Maurice and Peggy KahnHerbert and Lili KalishJohn and Priscilla Kennedy, Jr.Bill and Judith KnightLeonard and Gail KotlerJohn and Theresa KubisiakJanet KutayFrank and Merrily LewisAnonymousJohn and Claire LyonsMarjorie MaasManchester TaxiJohn and Victoria McInerneyRobert and Jeanne McWatersWilliam McWayneAnonymousMonument Electric Co., Inc.John and Jean MorrisseyMichael and Eleanor MurnoAnonymousNancy M. Norris in memory of Allan T. NorrisBonnie O’SheaCatherine PalmerDavid and Wendy ParsonsJack and Catherine PerryDavid and Marsha PilachowskiAnonymousAnonymousCharles and Muriel PufahlPatrick and Winifred RaffaeleCraig and Dale Raisig in honor of Joanna MintzerHarry and Margaret ReisAnonymousRichard and Beverly Sears, Jr.Timothy and Jacquelyn SedlockJulian and Phoebe SheresJane SobelEdward and Marie SossiLarry and Sharon SteppThomas and Donna StoneJohn and Gail SuitorAnonymousRichard and Beth Thompson-TuckerCharles and Barbara TraversRobert and Sally TreatJohn and Melody Troy in memory of Tabitha WilkinsNathaniel and Helen Tyler IIIWilliam UcciVerizon FoundationAnonymousOtto WeilAnonymousYe Olde TavernElizabeth Yox

“We support UCS because it helps people in need, especially for mental health and substance abuse problems.”

UCSFINANCIAL REPORT 2009/2010Budgeted Income Medicaid $10,728,984 Fees & 3rd Party Payments $629,303Vt. Alcohol & Drug Abuse Division $741,604 Vt. Department of Mental Health $656,361 Vt. Department of Developmental Services $69,257 Other State Contracts $840,057Local Revenue $703,893 Miscellaneous $223,847 Total Revenue $14,593,306

By ProgramEmergency Services 51 2%Developmental Services 210 7%Community Rehabilitation and Treatment 171 6%Substance Abuse 533 18%Children’s Outpatient Clinics 650 21%Adult Outpatient Clinics 1031 34%Head Start 333 15% (Head Start Children 123) Big Brothers Big Sisters 63 2%Totals 3042 100%

By Age under 6 181 6%6-17 639 21%18-24 516 17%25-59 1392 46%60+ 314 10%Total 3042 100%

By TownArlington 130 4%Bennington 1615 53%Dorset 58 2%Manchester 320 11%North Bennington 142 5%Pownal 201 7%Shaftsbury 160 5%Other VT 260 9%NY 120 4%Other States 36 1%Totals 3042 100%

WhO WE SERvE

Budgeted ExpensesSalaries $7,518,284Fringe Benefits $1,906,273 Other Personnel Costs $2,703,063Operating Expenses $1,298,759 Travel & Transportation $299,314 Building Expenses $867,613 Total Expenses $14,593,306

Use of Funds by ProgramDevelopmentalServices 48%

Children’s Outpatient Clinics 15%Community Rehabilitation & Treatment 18%

Adult Outpatient Clinics 8%

Substance Abuse 6%

Community Programs 3%Emergency 2%

UnITED ChILDREn’S SERvICES hEAD START PROGRAM

RevenueUS Department of Health & Human Services $938,191Local Revenue $4,800Total Revenue $942,991

ExpensesSalaries $502,165Fringe Benefits $135,767Other Personnel Costs $100,819Operating Expenses $106,793Travel & Transportation $19,170Building Expenses $78,277Total Expenses $942,991

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“We have an obligation to help others in need!”

“UCS is a constant source of support.”

“I support UCS because of the truly important and needed services it provides.”

“UCS cares for those who need help and can’t get it elsewhere.”

“I know the need and the good work UCS does.” “The professionalism mixed with

familiarity at UCS is a good mix.”

In the words of our supporters . . .