Home Care In Silver Hill, NC

From Silver Hill Hospital: NEW CANAAN, CT — Silver Hill Hospital is pleased to announce John Santopietro, MD, DFAPA as the new President and Medical Director effective in early September.

“On behalf of the entire board, I am delighted to make this announcement,” said Peter Orthwein, Chairman, Silver Hill Hospital Board of Directors. “John has a broad knowledge of the mental healthcare industry on a national level. He is an innovative leader with a track record of growth and program development, as well as an opinion leader and national spokesperson for mental health. John will assume leadership of Silver Hill at a time when the hospital is in a strong financial position and has a renovated campus designed to accommodate a diverse array of quality treatment programs. We know that John will preserve and advance the great work of Silver Hill Hospital,” added Orthwein.

Dr. Santopietro joins Silver Hill Hospital from Carolinas HealthCare System in Charlotte, North Carolina where he held the positions of Chief Clinical Officer of Behavioral Health and Chairman of the Department of Psychiatry. Carolinas HealthCare System is one of the nation’s largest not-for-profit healthcare delivery systems serving 2.3 million patients a year across 900 care locations, including 39 hospitals in North and South Carolina, and Georgia. He has devoted his career to transforming systems in order to improve care, and the experience of care, for people suffering with mental illness and substance use disorders. He has held leadership positions in public mental health systems, hospitals, and in the community and is nationally known for his work. In his current role he has driven transformation through such projects as the building of a state-of-the-art psychiatric hospital, integrating behavioral health into primary care and Emergency Rooms using ‘virtual’ teams and telemedicine, training nearly 10,000 people in the Charlotte area in Mental Health First Aid, and launching a psychiatric residency program. He has taught on psychiatric leadership and is passionate about the need for clinical leadership in solving the substantial challenges we face in health care.

Dr. Santopietro graduated from Yale University, Northwestern University Medical School, and completed his internship, residency, and fellowship at Harvard Medical School. He is board certified by the American Board of Psychiatry and Neurology and is a Distinguished Fellow of the American Psychiatric Association. He serves on multiple national boards including the American Association of Community Psychiatrists, the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline and the American Hospital Association’s Governing Council of the Section for Psychiatric and Substance Abuse Services. He was president of the Connecticut Psychiatric Society in 2012 where he earned an award for his leadership during the Sandy Hook tragedy. Dr. Santopietro was appointed by governors in both North Carolina and Connecticut to serve on mental health commissions and co-chaired a task force on mental health convened by the North Carolina Institute of Medicine.

Dr. Santopietro is the successor to the hospital’s current President and Medical Director Dr. Sigurd Ackerman, who has served in this capacity for 14 years. During his tenure, Dr. Ackerman strengthened treatment programs, initiated and expanded the hospital’s current Transitional Living Programs, led the renovation of facilities on the hospital’s 43-acre campus and secured financial stability.Dr. Ackerman says of Dr. Santopietro, “John brings to this position a combination of outstanding abilities as a clinical psychiatrist and an unusual depth of experience, and success, as a leader of psychiatric programs. I have great confidence that as he brings these strengths to Silver Hill Hospital we will continue to flourish”.

Interested in local real estate?Subscribe to Patch's new newsletter to be the first to know about open houses, new listings and more.

Founded in 1931, Silver Hill Hospital is a not-for-profit psychiatric hospital with acute inpatient services and longer-term residential Transitional Living Programs. The hospital admits over 2,000 adolescents and adults annually for psychiatric disorders and substance use disorders. The disorders treated include mood disorders such as depression and bipolar disorders; eating disorders; personality disorders associated with self-harm and problems of mood regulation; chronic pain with co-occurring disorders; psychotic disorders such as schizophrenia and schizoaffective disorder; and substance use disorders, especially with co-occurring disorders. Silver Hill is an academic affiliate of the Yale University School of Medicine, Department of Psychiatry.

Photo: John Santopietro, MD, DFAPA. Photo credit: Silver Hill Hospital

Silver Hill Hospital, a nationally-recognized leader in the treatment of psychiatric and addiction disorders, has announced the appointment of Peter Fonagy, Ph.D., F.B.A., to its Board of Directors. Fonagy, whose clinical interests focus on borderline psychopathology, violence and early attachment relationships, is Chief Executive of the Anna Freud Centre, a mental health research, training and treatment center for children and families in London.

“We are extremely fortunate to have Peter, a highly-regarded child psychologist, join our board,” said Dr. Andrew Gerber, president and medical director of Silver Hill Hospital. “His research has been extremely influential in showing the value of therapy in treating mental disorders. His efforts to integrate empirical research with psychoanalytic theory are very much in alignment with our own approach and we are confident his contributions will be invaluable to us.”

Fonagy has experienced the positive impact of therapy in his own life. As a Hungarian refugee brought to London as a boy, Fonagy became depressed as an adolescent as he tried to acclimate to a new culture and environment. Fortunately, his struggle was recognized and he was sent to the Anna Freud Centre, known at the time as Anna Freud National Centre For Children and Families, for help.

Advertisement

Article continues below this ad

“There is a high prevalence of depression, anxiety and other mental health issues in our society today and I feel privileged to be part of a hospital whose clinicians see not only what their patients are capable of, but the gifts they already possess,” said Fonagy. “The leadership and staff of Silver Hill have created a nurturing environment that teaches patients that despite having an illness, they can be successful and lead fulfilling lives.”

Silver Hill Hospital Board of Directors Co-Chairs Linda Autore and Lance Lundberg showed their support for the appointment of Fonagy. “Peter is a recognized thought leader in the field and we're confident he will bring tremendous value to the board,” said Autore. “His appointment is a testament to the expertise and caliber of talent that Dr. Gerber has attracted since being named president late last year.”

In addition to his work at the Anna Freud Centre, Fonagy is Professor of Contemporary Psychoanalysis and Developmental Science and Head of the Division of Psychology and Language Sciences at University College London. While teaching at the university in 2015, Fonagy received the Wiley Prize of the British Academy for Lifetime Achievement for his work in psychoanalysis and clinical psychology.

He has published more than 550 papers and written 19 books. His 2001 bestseller, Attachment Theory, examines how people’s relationships with their mothers influence later relationships.

Silver Hill opens new admissions building

Silver Hill Hospital, one of the nation’s pre-eminent psychiatric hospitals, recently opened a new 8,000-square-foot admissions building on its 44-acre campus. The new building, the Sigurd Ackerman, MD Center for Evaluation and Admissions, is named for Sigurd Ackerman, immediate past president and medical director of the hospital. Ackerman served in this capacity for 14 years and was honored at a dedication ceremony for the new facility.

The new evaluation and admissions building was constructed to accommodate the growing admissions and evaluation processes at the hospital. The design ensures patient privacy, and the building also houses business offices and a resource center for both family and alumni. At the building dedication, the courtyard area was also dedicated to the hospital’s former chief operating officer, Elizabeth Moore.

Advertisement

Article continues below this ad

The building took 16 months to complete, with new construction starting in May 2017; contributors included Richard Turlington Architects of New Haven and the PAC Group of Torrington.

“This grand building which stands before us was the capstone of an ambitious rebuilding project undertaken under the leadership of Sig Ackerman and Liz Moore,” said Lance Lundberg, co-chair of the Silver Hill Hospital board of directors. “We want to offer more and better services at two particularly stressful stages on the journey to recovery: When patients enter Silver Hill, and after they leave. At both of these critical junctures we want to do a better job of serving patients and their families as they reclaim their lives. The Center for Evaluation and Admissions will ‘bookend’ what patients and their families need and expect from Silver Hill and, we believe, enhance the outcomes of the treatments we provide.”

Impact Fairfield County event

Impact Fairfield County hosted its first of two Fall Kick-Off events on Oct. 3 at Grace Farms in New Canaan. Over 50 members and guests were in attendance to hear from its two 2018 $100,000 Impact Grant winners and learn more about membership and participation in Impact’s 2019 grant cycle.

Advertisement

Article continues below this ad

Impact Fairfield County Co-President Wendy Block welcomed everyone and spoke briefly about how membership in Impact works and the strides made in the three years since Impact’s inception. She applauded the $560,000 in grant funding that Impact has been able to provide to exceptional organizations from throughout Fairfield County. Steviann Martines, vice president of Impact Fairfield County, then introduced the 2018 Impact grant winner representatives.

Matthew Quinones, CEO of the Stamford Public Education Foundation, talked about how its Ready. Set. Shine! program, awarded one of two $100,000 grants this year, has transformed the lives of 77 Stamford children in need through its six-week early-education program this summer.

For information about Impact Fairfield County, visit eimpactffc.org.

Tennis tourney benefits youth nonprofit

Advertisement

Article continues below this ad

The 11th annual Autumn Classic Tennis Tournament benefitting Norwalk Grassroots Tennis & Education, a 23-year-old youth development nonprofit, was held on Sept. 30.

The lead sponsors were Laurel Road Bank and the Lublinsky family. NGTE touches the lives of over 500 student-athletes, offering free year-round tennis instruction, education support and life skills programming to Norwalk youth living in public or subsidized housing.

The Autumn Classic was open to all public and private varsity and junior varsity high school students in the area, and was played at the Weston Field Club and Longshore Park in Westport. Over 150 young men and women representing their schools fought hard in competitive but fun doubles play.

Tournament coordinator and NGTE board member, Mark Magnusen, thanked the sponsors and players for contributing over $28,000 to help continue the NGTE programs that graduate all participants from high school and help many graduates go to college. “We really appreciate the commitment and support from these high school tennis players and their parents, and our wonderful sponsors. Many of the students who served as Chairpersons and Committee Members for the Autumn Classic also volunteer at NGTE during the year as youth tennis coaches and academic tutors, and they allow us to help our underserved youth realize their potential in Norwalk,” he said.

Advertisement

Article continues below this ad

Charlie Low of Fairfield Ludlowe High School, Caroline Mayock of New Canaan High School, Aaron Miller of Weston High School, Will Roddy of Rye Country Day School, Daniel Stone of Staples High School, and Annabel Thrasher of Greenwich Academy all co-chaired the event.

Winners and finalists included:

Girls varsity winners: Grace Coale and Katie Wiley, Sacred Heart Greenwich and Darien High School; finalists: Gariella Gatto and Allison Katz, St Joseph High School and Staples High School.

Girls junior varsity winners: Ellie Collier and Layla Magnusen, Hopkins School and New Canaan Country School; finalists: Iasiah Sena and Erickah Tertulien, Norwalk High School.

Advertisement

Article continues below this ad

Boys varsity winners: Andrew Ilie and George James, Trumbull High School; finalists: Conrad Emerson and Henry Murphy, Wilton High School.

Boys junior varisty winners: Eric Degter and Thomas King, King School; finalists: Byron Hart and Josh Handel, Weston High School.

Enrollments

William Crane-Morris, of New Canaan, is enrolled as a first-year student at Hamilton College.

Advertisement

Article continues below this ad

The following New Canaan residents enrolled as part of Colgate University’s Class of 2022: Elizabeth Casey, Phoebe Casey, Charlotte Craig, Haley Fuller, Elizabeth Laub, Emma Schaeffer, Morgan Walling and Nicole Weiss.

The selectman agreed Tuesday to earmark $250,000 of American Rescue Plan funds for a behavioral health assessment service to be run by Silver Hill Hospital. The three-hour assessments will be free for residents in the throws of a mental health crisis, who do not wish to go to the emergency room.

Even though New Canaan is “fortunate” to have more than 70 therapists, it can be difficult to find the “entry point into the system” when someone is struggling with mental health, Silver Hill Hospital President and Medical Director Andrew Gerber told the selectmen.

Gerber described the assessment process to the selectmen, to be conducted by the non-profit psychiatric hospital, which focuses on treating behavioral health.

Advertisement

Article continues below this ad

“Virtually every family is bearing some effects of mental illness,” according to the statistics, he said. “Mental health has really emerged as one of the great crises facing not just our nation, our world, but our towns. It does not discriminate in any way it affects everyone.”

Too often, Gerber said, families spend hours seeking a place to bring a loved one to be assessed, and even specialists with “enormous qualifications” tell him that they “can't make heads or tails out of a question of where to go.”

Therefore, the town needs a place that “has a full set of services that can be offered to that individual” and will “plug them into the system, so they can then get their care in a continuous way,” Gerber said.

His plans calls for having someone answer calls 12 hours a day, six days a week, to help arrange for in-person, confidential assessment within 48 hours.

Advertisement

Article continues below this ad

The hospital would offer a three-hour assessment to New Canaan residents, free of charge, since “mental health and addiction issues are complex.”

During the assessments, patients would spend an hour with one of the hospital’s 19 psychiatrists; get a medical evaluation from an advanced practice registered nurse; and meet with a social worker who would collect the information needed to make an “effective plan,” Gerber explained.

The social worker would work with the town authorities and the other agencies to make sure that the patient can follow through on the plan, the hosptial president added.

“These services do exist in other areas of the country,” he said. “We urgently need this.”

Advertisement

Article continues below this ad

The hospital opted to make this service free to residents since medical insurance companies only reimburse about 30 percent of the urgent assessments, Gerber said. People sometimes do not seek the appropriate mental health care in the fear of having to pay deductibles or make phone calls to their insurance provider, he added. “We would take those barriers away.”

Gerber said he hopes for a “collaborative town effort.” As of the meeting, Silver Hill Hospital plans to partner with New Canaan’s Department of Health and Human Services, Waveny Lifecare Network, Kids in Crisis, Youth Services, Adult and Senior Services, Community Foundation, Parent Support Group and The Lighthouse

Though most patients at Silver Hill Hosptial come from Fairfield County, Gerber deemed the hospital “a national leader in providing mental health care, particularly for folks with complex and difficult to treat illnesses.”

The budget allotment had been worked out in collaboration with the town over the last few months and assumes the hospital can provide a total of five assessments per week.

Advertisement

Article continues below this ad

Gerber does not plan to need to add any staff to take on the responsibilities of this partnership with the town.

After the ARPA funds are used, the hospital will work with Community Foundation and other philanthropic organizations in an effort to ensure the program can be sustained, Gerber said.

In creating this program, “I believe we can quickly be leaders in the country and a model for how to provide urgent care assessments for our citizens,” Gerber said.

Seven Darien natives graduated from Fairfield University on May 20. In order to graduate, students must have earned a minimum of 120 credits and completed at least 38 three- or four-credit courses, depending on the course of study, and have an overall grade-point average of 2.0 or better at the conclusion of the senior year — something which Gisselle M. Acevedo, Michelle R. Bottone, David W. Fitzpatrick, Allison S. Nottingham, Patrick W. Redman, Andrew J. Tropeano and Allison M. Hayes all did.

The following New Canaan natives have been named to the dean's list at the University of New Hampshire in Durham for the spring semester of the 2015-16 academic year: Olivia Bochicchio earned highest honors, Tess MacKenzie earned high honors and Analisa Savini earned honors.

Advertisement

Article continues below this ad

Silver Hill Hospital’s new hires

Silver Hill Hospital, a nationally recognized psychiatric hospital, welcomed two clinicians to their team: Chris Cutter , Ph.D. and Sara Niego , M.D.

The 82-year-old, not-for-profit hospital deals with acute crisis stabilization and longer-term residential transitional living programs. It admits 3,000 adolescents and adults annually for psychiatric disorders that include addiction, pain with co-occurring addiction, depression, bipolar disorder, eating disorders, schizophrenia and the hospital specializes co-occurring diagnosis and treatment. Silver Hill is an academic affiliate of the Yale University School of Medicine’s Department of Psychiatry.

Cutter is the new program director for the Chronic Pain and Recovery Center. The Chronic Pain and Recovery Center is for individuals with long-standing chronic pain symptoms, when their past and current treatments for chronic pain have not provided adequate pain relief; or when the use of large amounts of opiate pain medication is causing problems in their lives; or when depression, anxiety or other emotional problems are complicating their recovery for chronic pain.

Advertisement

Article continues below this ad

Cutter, the former acting assistant dean and senior adviser at Yale College, is a research scientist and director of the medical research unit at Yale School of Medicine’s Division of Substance Abuse and clinical director of pain treatment services with the APT Foundation. He is on the adjunct faculty of the Beck Institute for Cognitive Behavior Therapy. Cutter is a member of the board of directors for the American Psychological Association. He received his doctorate degree in counseling psychology at Northeastern University and completed his predoctoral internship at Harvard Medical School’s McLean Hospital, and postdoctoral fellowship at Yale School of Medicine’s Division of Substance Abuse.

Niego is the new attending psychiatrist for the eating disorders program at Silver Hill Hospital. At the program at Silver Hill Hospital, individuals 17 years and older, male and female, who are struggling with anorexia, orthorexia, bulimia, binge eating disorder, rumination disorder, and body dysmorphia, are treated. As a psychiatric hospital, Silver Hill is able to treat patients with serious co-occurring psychiatric problems, such as mood and anxiety disorders, substance use disorders, and personality disorders, along with the eating disorder symptoms. These co-occurring psychiatric disorders often drive and complicate eating disorder symptoms; treating these psychiatric disorders is essential for successful and lasting eating disorder recovery.

Niego has a certification with the American Board of Psychiatry and Neurology. She is a member of the Academy for Eating Disorders, the National Eating Disorders Association and the American Psychiatric Association. She completed her medical degree at Columbia College of Physicians and Surgeons at Columbia University. She is an assistant professor for the University of Connecticut’s Psychiatry Residency Training Program. Niego has been researching, teaching and treating patients in the field of eating disorders for nearly 20 years. She previously worked at the Institute of Living Eating Disorders Program.

Advertisement

Article continues below this ad

Yellow Pages distribution schedule

The updated Yellow Pages will be distributed in Fairfield County beginning on or about Sept. 22.

Residents who have any questions or concerns regarding the distribution of Yellow Pages directories can e-mail [email protected].

Provide the following details when contacting the distribution concerns email: name, address, contact information and specific details regarding the nature of the concern.

Advertisement

Article continues below this ad

Additionally, residents have the choice about which directories they would like to receive or stop receiving in the future.

Residents can request directories or opt-out of future phone book deliveries by visiting YellowPagesOptOut.com.