CORNELL SCOTT-HILL HEALTH CENTER: Child & Family Guidance Expanding Impact for Youth and Families

CORNELL SCOTT-HILL HEALTH CENTER

Child & Family Guidance Expanding Impact for Youth and Families

Cornell Scott-Hill Health Center’s (CS-HHC) highly regarded Child & Family Guidance (CFG) program begins a new chapter this fall with a move to the Connecticut Center for Arts and Technology’s (ConnCAT) new ConneCTion Center in New Haven, expanding access to behavioral health services for children and families in the region and beyond. 

CFG’s skilled, dedicated and compassionate behavioral health providers and support staff offer state-of-the-art, holistic care to address the physical, emotional and social aspects of patients’ well-being, serving children and teens ages 2 to 18 with:

• individual, group and family therapy;
• psychiatric evaluations;
• medication management;
• case management;
• crisis intervention; and
• substance abuse treatment and intervention.

The comprehensive CFG program helps youth, and the families who love them, navigate the way forward. A year ago, there were more than 18,000 patient visits to CFG, by individuals from 81 Connecticut communities.

“These days, so many kids are stressed out…facing peer pressure and life challenges that make daily life difficult for them,” explains Michael R. Taylor, president and CEO of CS-HHC. “So, our focus is on smoothing their path and helping them sustain their progress.”

Just across the street from ConnCAT is the community-centered Q House, home to a CS-HHC pediatric practice, allowing families to access needed behavioral health and pediatric services in close proximity, highlighting CS-HHC’s integrated care model.

Program enhancements will include the ability to serve more patients, increase case management capabilities, and provide more privacy for patient care and greater access to wraparound services.  The Connecticut Department of Children & Families identifies CS-HHC as a crucial part of the vital network serving behavioral health needs across the state.

The parents in one family described their CFG experience: “It helps us to help them cope with the things they’re going through. I’ve seen a huge change in the way my children view life now.”

“We use every tool at our disposal, every treatment available, to help our patients, emphasized Dr. Ece Tek, CS-HHC’s chief medical officer of Mental Health and Addiction Services. “We aim to achieve measurable improvement and true wellness.”

At CS-HHC, the goal is clear and unwavering – to ensure children and families have access to the support and healthcare resources they need to thrive.

Supporting Our Youth, a $50,000 Matching Grant

Philanthropist LindyLee Gold, who serves as board chair of the CSHHC Foundation, points out that the new Child & Family Guidance setting helps create a welcoming environment for families seeking care.

“Here and across the street, people are walking into community buildings that serve a wide variety of people,” Gold says. “There is no stigma attached to ConnCAT. It’s a joyous place to be, and easy access to our integrated behavioral health services can truly be life changing.”

Gold, through the Amour Propre Fund, is contributing $50,000 to support the relocation effort and is encouraging others to contribute, with donations to be matched dollar-for-dollar. She hopes community members will recognize the impact of their contributions, underscoring that “no amount is too small.” 

Learn more at www.cornellscott/donate and www.cornellscott.com/foundation.

Expanding Quality School-Based Healthcare in the Region

Gent Daniels, program director of Cornell Scott-Hill Health Center’s School-Based Health Centers Behavioral Health, has been recognized by Hartford Business Journal as a 2026 Healthcare Hero.  

His exemplary and practical leadership has led to the expansion of CS-HHC’s School-Based Health Centers from nine to 22 locations in New Haven, Hamden and West Haven, significantly increasing access to much-needed care for students and families.  

Simultaneously, the behavioral health workforce has increased from five to 23 clinicians to support this growth, while sustaining continuity of care and service quality. A licensed clinical social worker and New Haven native, Gent skillfully leads a team that “really cares about what they’re doing, [where] the goal is make sure the kids get quality care,” he explains. And they do. 

Growing National Distinction & Recognition

CS-HHC recently earned three distinctions from the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) in their 2026 Community Health Quality Recognition cycle, including the first National Quality Leader – Heart Health award in CS-HHC’s history.  It is HRSA’s highest national recognition within a specific clinical area, awarded to health centers performing among the nation’s leading organizations in that domain. 

CS-HHC was also recognized as a Silver Health Center Quality Leader for the second consecutive cycle, reflecting performance at or above national benchmarks across a majority of HRSA’s clinical quality measures.  CS-HHC also earned Advancing Health Information Technology recognition for the sixth consecutive annual cycle, acknowledging CS-HHC’s sustained use of health information technology to support high-quality, coordinated patient care. 

“The recognition we’ve earned reflects our commitment to building and optimizing healthcare delivery systems that prioritize value, compassion, and sustainability,” says Dr. Michael Couturie, CS-HHC’s chief medical officer of Medical and Dental Services.  “These awards recognize the culture of safety, quality and patient-centeredness that is our focus.”

Board of Directors Adds Three Community Members

CS-HHC has added three members to its board of directors, bringing a range of expertise, perspectives and experience to a dynamic, dedicated board, led by Orlando Cordero.  

• Emily Byrne, M.P.A., is executive director of Connecticut Voices for Children, a research and advocacy organization with a strategic aim toward economic justice. 
• Jose Candelario is an award-winning media professional with more than 15 years of experience in broadcast television, radio and multimedia production. 
• Chris Hodgdon, Ph.D., is associate professor of accounting at Quinnipiac University, teaching managerial, financial, governmental and nonprofit accounting with more than two decades in higher education.

“Their combined understanding of, passion for, and commitment to our patients and the communities we serve will be instrumental as we continue to navigate a changing healthcare landscape,” notes Michael R. Taylor, CS-HHC’s president and CEO.

Cornell Scott-Hill Health Center measurably improves the health and well-being of the communities they serve by providing excellent and compassionate care, accessible to all, offering comprehensive primary, behavioral, dental and specialty care, as reflected in 2025 data: 56,681 patients served 424,313 patient visits and 65,913 prescriptions dispensed.  

The CSHHC Foundation, established in 2022, supports Cornell Scott-Hill Health Center to promote the health and well-being of the communities it serves and to Bridge the Gap in Community Healthcare. The foundation exists to receive gifts for CS-HHC to expand services that will help serve its patients holistically and meet their increasing needs.