Human Services Council Receives Grant from Fairfield County Community Foundation

From Human Services Council:

The Human Services Council is the proud recipient of a grant from Fairfield County’s Community Foundation in the amount of $20,000, to support the Dr. Robert E. Appleby School-Based Health Centers.

The Dr. Robert E. Appleby School Based Health Centers (SBHCs) are the only facilities in Norwalk that provide on-site school-based medical and mental healthcare with no out-of-pocket cost for any of our services. The SBHCs are licensed as outpatient clinics. SBHCs emphasize prevention as well as the early identification and treatment of physical and mental health concerns. SBHCs serve students (grades 9—12) in the three Norwalk high schools; as well as students (grades 6—8) who attend three of the four Norwalk middle schools.

Executive Director Anthony DiLauro said, “This grant funding will increase the hours of a licensed clinical social worker at one of Norwalk’s public schools. Our clinical staff has experienced a growing number of complex behavioral health cases in recent years. The grant funding provided by FCCF will allow us to serve more children in need. Children spend most of their time at school, and our school based health centers are a critical point of contact for the identification of behavioral health issues. We are thankful for the generosity of the Fairfield County Community Foundation, and we are proud of the relationship we have fostered with them over the last several years. They are an outstanding organization to work with.”

Fairfield County’s Community Foundation promotes philanthropy as a means to create change in Fairfield County, focusing on innovative and collaborative solutions to critical issues impacting the community. Individuals, families, corporations and organizations can establish charitable funds or contribute to existing funds. The Community Foundation is in compliance with the Council on Foundations’ national standards and has awarded $180 million in grants to nonprofits in Fairfield County and beyond. Further information is available through the foundation's website.

For more than seven decades, the Human Services Council has identified unmet community needs and has “filled in the gaps” by creating and fostering programs that educate, safeguard and empower people living and working in our communities. Throughout this time, our initiatives have focused on alcohol and drug prevention, supportive housing, child advocacy, homelessness, hunger, medical and behavioral healthcare for children and adolescents, volunteerism and mentoring. Collaborating with other organizations, the Human Services Council serves more than 8,000 children, families and individuals each year, ensuring the immediate delivery of critical services in an efficient and effective manner.

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