Griffin wrote:

On behalf of The Rosecrance Foundation board of directors, I wish to express appreciation to everyone who helped make our annual benefit a huge success. Thanks to many generous benefactors, we raised almost $500,000 to serve clients with substance use and mental health disorders. Specifically, the 830 people who attended our benefit on April 16 supported The Kinley Charity Care Fund, which has provided more than $6 million in care since 1984 to families in need of financial assistance for treatment.

Your generous support translates into treatment, and treatment equals lives changed and saved. It is not easy for individuals or families in need of mental health or substance abuse services to reach out for help. The journey toward recovery is made so much smoother when caring people extend such extraordinary support and understanding.

The board of directors also wishes to congratulate one of our own, Jerry Paris, who received the Castle Award at this year’s banquet. The award honors an individual or family for extraordinary commitment and stellar service to the Rosecrance mission of help, hope and recovery. Jerry exemplifies these ideals.

Thanks again to this community for believing in and supporting the Rosecrance mission.

Read the complete article from the Rockford Register Star here.

Judge Janet Holmgren, presiding judge of the Juvenile and Specialty Courts Division of the 17th Judicial Circuit Court, smiles while distributing state certificates for Rosecrance’s crisis intervention training (C.I.T.). in February. Judge Holmgren presides over a special youth recovery court for juvenile offenders with mental heath or substance abuse issues.

WREX-13 published an article over the weekend about a Rosecrance-affiliated recovery court for juvenile offenders with mental health or substance abuse issues.

The court system is designed to provide an alternative to jail and is presided by Judge Janet Holmgren, presiding judge of the Juvenile and Specialty Courts Division of the 17th Judicial Circuit Court.

From the WREX-13 article:

Experts know when some people commit crimes, the behavior can be out of those people’s control. Maybe substance abuse or mental illness are a problem.

It’s called Youth Recovery Court, a partnership with Rockford’s Rosecrance. Five young adults are eligible for the program now. There’s room for nearly 40. The idea began to take shape in 2011 when the county won a 250 thousand dollar federal grant. Supporters hope this meets a need for troubled kids in the community.

Youth have to have mental or substance abuse problems and non violent offenses to get into the program. Rosecrance staff will test potential participants to see if they’re good candidates for treatment.

Read the complete article on WREX.com here.

(From left) Rosecrance's Jason Gorham, Charity Shaw-Moyado, Craig Stallings and Joan Lodge are prepared to answer questions about substance abuse and mental illness April 30, 2012, during a live forum on WTVO-17.

Four Rosecrance managers fielded almost three dozen on-the-air telephone calls from area residents over a 90-minute period April 30, 2012, on WTVO-17.

Anchor Mimi Murphy interviewed Mary Ann Abate, Vice President and Chief Operating Officer for Mental Health Services, during the 5 p.m. news show. Murphy interviewed Joan Lodge, Director of Emergency Services at the Rosecrance Ware Center, during the 6 p.m. news slot.

Taking phone calls were: Lodge and Abate, when they were not on the news set; Charity Shaw-Moyado, administrator of the Berry Campus; Craig Stallings, administrator of the Harrison Campus; and Jason Gorham, administrator of the Griffin Williamson Campus.

Inquiries were split about equally between substance abuse and mental health issues. In most cases, the Rosecrance managers were able to give the callers solid information about finding the right kind of help for themselves or a loved one.

There were several articles in the news this week about Rosecrance Flower Day 2012.

• WREX-13 posted a piece about the event here. Samantha Jeffrey’s writes:

  Shoppers raised funds for mental health and substance abuse treatment programs and services just by buying flowers on Thursday.

  Both Gensler Gardens locations in New Milford and Loves Park celebrated the beginning of the planting season with Rosecrance Flower Day. Rosecrance volunteers were on sight to help shoppers find items and help them carry their purchases to their vehicles.

• MyStateline.com features a video interview with Rosecrance’s Judy Emerson discussing the generosity of Gensler Gardens and the Gensler family. See the interview here.
• A small brief ran on the Rockford Register Star’s website.

The 2012 Castle Award was presented to a former Board chairman with nearly 20 years experience at Rosecrance.

Jerry Paris, who joined the Rosecrance Board of Directors in 1993 and was chairman in 2002, is the recipient of the award, which was announced at the 2012 Rosecrance Foundation Benefit on April 14. Presenting the award were Rosecrance President/CEO Philip W. Eaton and Jean Castle, wife of the late Millard Castle and daughter-in-law of the late Clarence Castle, longtime Rosecrance board members for whom the award is named.

Paris was chairman when the decision to build an adolescent treatment center was made. His leadership during that process was invaluable and proof of his commitment to Rosecrance is evident in the lives that are changed and saved every day on that campus.

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From the article:

In March, area law enforcement, mental health, school and government officials met to pool resources in the wake of a noted rise in heroin-related arrests and deaths. They determined that although a great deal of varied treatments, counseling and programs are available in the area, people who need help aren’t connecting with those treatments.

So on May 2, a Community Link Symposium will be held at Carl Sandburg High School to introduce people to local drug and alcohol support services.

Orland Township is inviting a wide range of educators, mental health practitioners, law enforcement officials and community groups to gather next week to help link drug addicts to the help they need.

Read the complete article on Patch here.

From left: Director of Volunteer Center at United Way of Rock River Valley Anna Kaye, Courtney Oertel, Rosecrance's Sherry Fink and CEO and President of United Way of Rock River Valley Paul Logli pose after Fink received the 2012 Frank Ware Award of Excellence.

Sherry Fink, a clinical supervisor at the Rosecrance Ware Center, received the 2012 Frank Ware Award of Excellence on Tuesday, April 17, at the annual United Way of Rock River Valley Volunteer Recognition event at Giovanni’s.

Fink, who has worked with the organization for 14 years, supervises a program called Projects for Assistance in Transition from Homelessness (PATH). The program provides outreach and therapeutic services to individuals who are homeless or at imminent risk of becoming homeless and have a serious mental illness. Fink also supervises the PATH ex-offender program. This program offers services to individuals released from the Department of Corrections.

Mary Ann Abate, Rosecrance Sr. VP and Chief Operating Officer for Mental Health Services, noted that Sherry had some tough competition from nominees who also perform important work for various organizations in the community.

“This award signifies great leadership, mentorship and contributions to making our community a better place to live,” Abate said of Fink. “ The award was presented by Frank’s daughter, Courtney Oertel, and she explained to all who were present how much Sherry demonstrated the kind of leadership Frank embodied.”

Frank Ware was the longtime President/CEO of the Janet Wattles Center who, along with Rosecrance President/CEO led the merger of the two organizations. Ware died in February 2011.

“We are extremely grateful to have such an outstanding staff as Sherry,” Abate said, “and we want to send a huge BRAVO to her and encourage her to continue the great work.”

Michael Cavanaugh performs Monday, April 16, at 2012 Rosecrance Foundation Benefit. The annual event drew a record attendance of 830.

Download this news release as a PDF

ROCKFORD – The 2012 Rosecrance Foundation Benefit raised a record $480,000 to provide services to clients who need financial assistance for treatment of substance use and mental health disorders. The annual event also drew a record attendance of 830.

Entertainer Michael Cavanaugh and his band headlined the event on Monday, April 16, at Giovanni’s. The Benefit also featured presentation of the Castle Award to Jerry Paris, a Rockford businessman who has provided distinguished service on Rosecrance boards for almost two decades. A new video titled “Hope in Recovery,” which features Rosecrance alumni, was premiered at the event.

The annual event supports The Kinley Charity Care Fund, named for the late Verna Kinley, a former Rosecrance board member who was dedicated to the principle that no youth in need of treatment should be turned away because of a family’s inability to pay for services. Since 1984, The Kinley Fund has provided more than $6 million in care to patients.

John Griffin, chair of the Rosecrance Foundation Board of Directors, expressed gratitude for the ongoing support of corporations and individuals who make the Benefit successful. It is the organization’s main fundraising vehicle for charity care, which each year assists almost 300 families.

“We are so very grateful to everyone who supports the Benefit because they believe, as we do, in the power of every human spirit to heal,” Griffin said. “There is hope in treatment, and our event is all about helping people get the services they need, even if their financial resources are limited.

“Through their generosity, Rosecrance donors change and save the lives of people they will never meet.”

President/CEO Philip W. Eaton presented the Castle Award to Rosecrance Health Network Board Member Jerry Paris, who has helped to lead the organization in various roles for almost 20 years. Paris is a past board chair and currently leads the Foundation’s Endowment Committee.

“He has been there for us as we’ve built buildings, expanded programs and struggled to meet the needs of the most vulnerable people,” Eaton said of Paris. “He asks hard questions at the right time so that we can make the best decisions to move our mission forward and offer the best quality care.”

Paris owns several area Midas Auto Repair Centers. He founded the Rosecrance/Midas Golf Shootout in 1992 and oversaw it for a decade, during which time the event earned almost a quarter of a million dollars to support programs and services.

In addition to his work with Rosecrance, Paris has been involved in leadership at several other community agencies. He received the Crusader Community Health Spirit of Caring Award in 2007 for his deep community involvement.

The event traditionally highlights Rosecrance alumni who have been successful in recovery. A video titled “Hope in Recovery” premiered at the Benefit featuring a dozen alums speaking about their lives since treatment to help them overcome addiction.

Contact:
Judy Emerson
Director of Communications
Rosecrance Health Network
1021 N. Mulford Road
Rockford, IL 61107
815.387.5605 (office); 815.262.4685 (cell)
Email: Click here to email Judy

About Rosecrance
Rosecrance is a private not-for-profit organization offering behavioral health services for more than 14,000 children, adolescents, adults and families each year. Rosecrance provides addiction treatment through inpatient and outpatient programs in Rockford, IL, and services at six offices in Chicagoland. Rosecrance offers community mental health services in Rockford and Belvidere. The organization was founded in 1916.

“Rosecrance: Hope in Recovery,” originally created by Solidline Media for the 2012 Rosecrance Foundation Benefit, features Rosecrance alumni discussing the positive effect Rosecrance treatment has had on their lives.