My first six months as CEO have certainly been eventful. As I reflect back on this extraordinary year, the many examples of hope, togetherness and community remind me why the Children’s Center is so special. We entered 2020 with a vision to provide the highest quality care possible. Understandably, COVID-19, political uncertainty, financial insecurity and the social injustice of the minority community further complicated formidable challenges this past year. While navigating these unprecedented times, we remain focused on meeting the needs of our clients in a safe, empathetic and professional manner. We honor the families who entrusted their loved ones to us and are humbled by the gift of care and advocacy on their behalf.

at Sarah A. Reed Children's CenterShining Bright

Adrienne Dixon, Ph.D.President/CEO

Thank you to the family members, staff and friends of the Children’s Center who helped us to sustain, extend and advance the mission during this past year. Our strength, unity, and sense of community was tested like never before. In this time of adversity, we experienced a great outpouring of warmth and solidarity from the community and local partners. I am so grateful for the support received from everyone during our most difficult days. This abundance of support has been instrumental in ensuring the safety and well-being of our staff and consumers.

I am extremely proud of all the wonderful people who provide quality services to our families and I thank you for the extraordinarycare, enduring service and for fighting back fatigue and frustration. The past few months have had a significant impact on all of us. We had no idea where the journey would lead, but I am confident that what lies ahead will bring new momentum, energized by thepromise of a greater tomorrow. This past year we learned to depend on one another, the value of community, and that we are, indeed, allin this together. I am not sad to say goodbye to 2020 but welcome 2021 with great anticipation and enthusiasm. Wishing you health andsuccess in this New Year!

John Kathman, shift leader and talented artist at ourHamilton Partial Hospitalization Program, was awarded the$500 Gary Cermak Award to purchase supplies that willallow him to continue his efforts to beautify the campuswith murals. These projects are the result of collaborativeefforts of the students and staff. The students take pride inknowing that they are making the space special for childrenwho attend the program in the future.

Gary Cermak was a former Board member at Sarah Reed.The Board established this award in his memory, and it ispresented annually to a staff member for a special project.

2445 West 34th StreetErie, PA 16506(814) 838-1954

www.SarahReed.org

Our Nurses, Our Heroes

Winter 2021

Sarah A. Reed Children's Center

Warmest Greetings as We Begin 2021

Respectfully,

Adrienne

For our 320 employees and1,700 children, adults andfamilies, health and safety aretop priorities. Everyday uponarrival at any of ourcampuses, employees musthave their temperature takenand complete a survey toassess their risk of exposureto COVID-19. Our nursesstand ready to answer healthquestions, take care of thechildren and help staff tonavigate the new normal tokeep staff and children safe.

We are grateful for ourskilled and dedicatedmedical team!

From left: Jennifer Zietz, RN director ofnursing, takes the temperature of AbigailBurton, client records coordinator, insidethe Leslie Medical Center on the campusof Sarah Reed's Residential TreatmentProgram.

Gary Cermak Award Recipient

Page 2

Honoring Dennis Walsh and His 43 Years of Service

I grew up in Greenville, PA and graduated from Edinboro University of Pennsylvania (EUP) in 1977 witha degree in psychology. My senior year at EUP I completed an internship at Sarah Reed and thought,"This is a place I want to come to work." After graduation, I took a direct care position at the ResidentialProgram (in Gifford Cottage) and provided structure, support and activities to the kids. I really felt like Iwas falling into my dream job. I progressed from unit manager, to case manager, to supervisor of intake,to director of intake and case management, and eventually to my recent position as the associate vicepresident of the Partial Hospitalization Program. The growth, change, variety of duties and opportunity totrain and mentor other professionals was why I worked at Sarah Reed for my entire 43-year career.

Dr. Brittany Hayden, our newly appointed Director of Clinical Services, graduated with her Ph.D. inCounseling Psychology/School Psychology from the University at Buffalo. She completed her APA-approved Doctoral Internship with Sarah Reed in 2014-2015. Since then, she has held a number of positionsthroughout the agency before being tapped for her current role as Director of Clinical Services. We arelooking forward to her leadership and guidance in 2021 and beyond.

Dr. Laura Amoscato is our new Director of Quality Assurance/Quality Improvement (QA/QI) andPsychology Internship Training. She has been with the agency for over five years. Before joining the teamat Sarah Reed, she provided contract psychological services at a bilingual charter school in Austin, TX,where the goal was to build college readiness in children who traditionally may not have considered college.She worked as an independent psychologist in a middle school in Austin that served a population ofprimarily immigrant children (mostly from Mexico and Central America).

By the time the children arrive for treatment at our most intensive programs, like Residential, they are exhausted. Coming to a safe andtherapeutic place like Sarah Reed is a tremendous relief for them. Some people may see it as a last resort, but we don’t see it that way atall. We want to keep the family intact and give the children the tools they need to succeed in their lives. Playing a part in their journeyto understand their circumstances and diagnoses, helping to instill hope in their hearts for a good future, and building teams who willcontinue to fulfill the mission to improve upon their well-being...these things are my greatest rewards.

Staff Spotlight

"I'm delighted by the opportunities available with the changes in my position and in the overallagency. Change can be difficult, but it’s also a chance to explore areas for growth and to learnnew skills. I look forward to the chance to stretch myself in new directions and hope to serve the

clients and the staff in new and exciting ways." ~Dr. Laura Amoscato

Dennis Walsh (left),retiredassociate vice president ofthe Partial HospitalizationProgram and Jim Mando,former president of SarahA. Reed Children's Center.

“I’m incredibly excited about the growth and change occurring throughout the agency right now. I’mparticularly grateful for the opportunity to have a role in creating innovative clinical programming in

an effort to expand access to high-quality care for our community.” ~Dr. Brittany Hayden

Dennis Walsh retired recently from his position as associate vice president of the Partial HospitalizationProgram. We caught up with Dennis to learn more about his 43-year journey at Sarah Reed, which tookhim from an internship in 1977 to directing our highly sought-after programs at the Hamilton Campus.

It's definitely our ability to best serve the community through diverse programming that meets every level of need for our clients. We have high-quality clinical, medical, psychiatric, educational and administrativesupport, and it all comes together to better the lives of the children, adults and families we serve. We

"Throughout the course of my employment, positions changed, leadership at the top changed, but themomentum of how we operated and the caring nature of our programs never changed. That overruled any kindof challenge we were faced with. The philosophy to put kids and families first is always there." ~Dennis Walsh

compassionately welcome kids with severe behavioral and mental health challenges because we specialize in the best care and treatmentfor them.

New Year Brings New Roles for Two Doctoral Staff Members

Page 2

Laura Amoscato, Ph.D.Director of QA/QI andPsychology Internship

Training

Brittany Hayden, Ph.D.Director of Clinical

Services

Can you tell us about your background and your history at Sarah Reed?

What do you believe sets Sarah A. Reed Children’s Center apart from similar agencies in the region?

What has been your greatest reward?

Parent-Child Interaction TherapySarah Reed's Outpatient Program is currently accepting clients for Parent-Child InteractionTherapy (PCIT). PCIT is an evidence-based treatment used for children ages 2.5-7 who areexhibiting disruptive behaviors within the home or school setting. This treatment utilizes boththe parent and child in treatment, works to improve the parent-child relationship, and teachesparents a highly effective and specialized behavior management strategy. One of thecomponents that makes PCIT unique is that it utilizes a bug-in-the-ear system, where thetherapist speaks directly to the parent through a one-way mirror. This allows for practice ofnewly learned skills in real-time and provides parents with the support and confidence tosucceed with their children in treatment. Additionally, PCIT can be used with children who areexhibiting obsessive-compulsive behaviors, generalized anxiety, separation anxiety and more.Children who are diagnosed with autism-spectrum disorder are also appropriate for PCIT.

The children in our Residential Treatment Program decorated the windows of the B&L Dining Hall in December. Each of the fiveresidence halls chose a window, and the children from each cottage collaborated on their theme and helped bring their ideas to life!

Around the AgencyPage 3

For more information regarding PCIT or to schedule an appointment, please contact Dr.Jaclynn Stankus at (814) 651-0756 or the Outpatient Department at (814) 835-3132.

A mother works with her son during arecent Parent-Child InteractionTherapy session at Sarah Reed's

Outpatient Program.

Hard Work Pays Off for Students at Emerson-Gridley CampusStudents in Sarah Reed's Sanctuary© Based Learning Program (SBLP) at Emerson-Gridley arereceiving incentives for their hard work and efforts. SBLP teachers Elizabeth Brown, MattMcLaughlin, and Marcia Staudt have put these programs into place in order to increase attendanceand participation.

So far we have had amazing results! Ron Rodney, Cathy Burke and Julia Smith have beendropping off the goodies to students' houses on Fridays with well wishes for a job well done. Earlyintervention staff members Rachel Sobina and Michelle Sax continue to engage our pre-school age students, accommodating students' and parents' schedules in order to give these students one-on-one attention.

We are so proud of our students and staff! Way to go, everyone!

Knowledge is PowerSarah A. Reed Children's Center is committed to ongoing training for our staff across the agency. Here is a list of recently completedtrainings, which will help our employees serve our clients better and keep their environment safe:

ALICE (active shooter) certification for the agencyFive therapists completed the Cognitive Processing Therapy certification: Allison Hellmann, Josh Gadley, Mary Federowicz,Meghan Probst and Dr. Sallie RichardsSeveral staff members from the Partial Hospitalization Program completed Youth Mental Health First Aid Training in NovemberOur Human Resources staff completed Adult Mental Health First Aid Training through National Alliance on Mental Illness inDecember.

Decorating the Windows at Residential

5 YearsDr. Laura Amoscato

Lacretia Asbury Stephenie BojcGary BukowskiJordan BurnsAmanda ColeDaniel Cotton

Jessica Dodick Joel Dombrowski

David DouglasAmanda Horomanski

Dennis Knablein Jared Lorraine

Larry Shallenberger Shannon Wallace

Durfey Wells

Welcome to Our 2020-2021 Interns!

Employee Spotlight: Casey Main

Sarah Reed offers a 2,000-hour doctoral internship programin Health Services Psychology that is fully accredited by theAmerican Psychological Association. The internship fundsthree full-time training positions beginning in early Augustand lasting 12 months.

Since its inception in the early 1980s, this program hastrained 63 students from over 30 colleges and universitiesthroughout the country.

Annual Employee Service Awards Breakfast Goes Virtual

Celebrating Our TeamPage 4

Congratulations to our employees who met another milestone work anniversary! They were honoredon November 11th with a virtual ceremony hosted by Dr. Adrienne Dixon, President/CEO of SarahReed, along with members of Sarah Reed's Board of Directors. Each honoree was awarded a gift andwords of thanks from their supervisor.

25 YearsSandra Colon

Frank DiPlacidoLori Eaton

Jill HoustonTracy Walsh

30 Years

Kristen HeinrichBrenda Homansky

35 Years

Rob Potter

Casey Main is the support intervention specialist in ourPartial Hospitalization Program. Casey began his time atSarah Reed two years ago as a Behavior Counselor in ourAcute Partial Hospitalization Program.

He works one-on-one with children who are struggling in theclassroom, helping them get back on track. He also collectsand analyzes behavioral data to create intervention plans tobuild positive behaviors. Casey also works on program-wideinitiatives to improve service delivery.

Casey, thank you for making a difference at Sarah Reed!

Winter 2021

Congratulations to Rob Potteron his 35th Anniversary at

Sarah Reed!

We are so proud to have you onour team.

"MY ROLE IS NOT TO BE

'SUPERMAN' WHO

SWOOPS IN AND SAVES

THESE CHILDREN. MY

ROLE IS TO HELP A CHILD

SEE THE HERO INSIDE

THEMSELVES."

CASEY MAIN,

SUPPORT INTERVENTION

SPECIALIST

10 Years Tony Bostaph Jacob Kerner Lori Rogers

Marie Tavani

15 Years Chris Falandys

Joe Romanowicz Jeanette Stull Jason Zietz

20 Years

Ann Hardner Michelle Skellie

Read more about Casey and learn how you can be a hero for the 1,700 children, adults and families we serve atsarahreed.e3applicants.com!

Congratulations to all our staffcelebrating milestones!

Shelby BurtonUniversity of

Louisville

Alaina StewartDePaul

University

Heather WimmerUniversity of

Hartford

Donors Contribute More Than $164,000 Towards Technology Goal to Date

Chromebooks for children and staffLaptops for teachers, therapists and staffWebcams for staff computersSmartBoardsEducational softwareHIPAA-compliant telehealth softwareHeadphones for the childrenWireless projector

As we continue to navigate through the COVID-19 pandemic, the need for technology remains strongacross all of our campuses and programs. In order to cover the growing costs that are associated withour new provision of care, such as online therapy, virtual education, video conferencing and more, we'vedeveloped the 150th Anniversary Technological Initiative.

Contributions to this fund have already been put to immediate use to purchase:

Presque Isle Chapter, D.A.R. City of Erie United Steelworkers Local 3199 Premium Coffee

Second Baptist Church PetSmart

We would also like to send a special thank you to the membersof the Kahkwa Club for their donation of gifts for all thechildren at Residential and to our Chartwell's cafeteria stafffor donating pajamas, hot chocolate and snacks for each ofthe kids on Christmas Eve!

Local Organizations Give Generously to Make Holidays Bright for Kids

If you'd like to learn more about this project, please contact Gary L. Bukowski, MA, CFRE, associate vice president ofdevelopment, at (814) 835-7602 or e-mail GBukowski@SarahReed.org. Thank you!

Mail your donation to:Sarah A. Reed Children's CenterATTN Development Office2445 West 34th Street Erie, PA 16506

Our Donors Making a Difference

We are very grateful to all the individuals and organizations who went above and beyond to make the holidays special for thechildren in our Residential Treatment Program this year. Due to COVID-19, our 62 children remained on campus for the holidaysand the generous donation of toys, books, art supplies, games and more really put a smile on their faces on Christmas morning!

Our Hamilton staff now have Chromebooks thanks toErie Insurance! Erie Insurance donated 125Chromebooks in September 2020, which have madea huge impact on all our programs across theagency.

Annual Santa Bar Crawl Goes VirtualThis year's Santa Bar Crawl may have looked much different, but our friendsand families still showed their support of our children in the PartialHospitalization Program and raised a grand total of $2,340! The money wasused to purchase Christmas presents for the 88 children in the program.

(L to R) Hamilton staff members Patty Esposito, Michelle Skellie and PattyPiano purchase gifts for the kids. (At right) Patty Esposito delivers a gift.

Ways to Give to the150th Anniversary Technological Initiative:

Winter 2021

Page 5

Online at www.SarahReed.org/Donate

Call (814) 835-7602

Thank you!

$300,000GOAL

$164,889RAISED!55%

Thank You, Erie Insurance!

If you no longer wish to receive ournewsletter or you prefer to get our e-mailedition, please contact Stephenie Bojc in

the Development Office at (814) 835-7604 or

SBojc@sarahreed.org.Thank you!

2445 West 34th StreetErie, PA 16506(814) 838-1954www.SarahReed.org

Did You Know...

Celebrating 150 Years!

"I remember Sarah Reed. She usedto visit all of the children on Sundaysand give us a piece of candy forreciting a bible verse correctly. Shewas a wonderful lady - very kind."

~A former resident of Sarah A. ReedChildren's Center in the 1940s

Since 1871, our agency has providedcompassionate care to over a quarter ofa million children, adults and families. We continue to serve over 1,700people per year in over 50 counties inPennsylvania helping them to realizetheir potential and experience success!

Coming Soon!

Sarah A. Reed Children's Center willbe hosting a podcast to discuss topicsthat relate to mental health, well-beingand the community. Check our socialmedia pages for more details!

Special EventsStay home & stay healthy! We'll see you soon!

With the pandemic limiting the number of peoplewho can gather, our regularly scheduled events willbe postponed until further notice. If you would stilllike to show your support, please visitSarahReed.org/donate or mail your donation to:

Sarah A. Reed Children's Center Development Office2445 West 34th Street

Erie, PA 16506 Thank you!

HR is Keeping Spirits Up When COVID-19 Gets Us Down

Our creative Human Resources team has been engaging employees in many ways to keepspirits up, connections strong and minds active during this highly challenging year. Effortsinclude: Employee Fund holiday giveaways, Sanctuary Supports, Sanctuary Challenges, VirtualHappy Hours, surveys, employee recognition and more. Thank you to our HR team for makingit fun and rewarding to come to work, especially during this challenging time.

Staff Members (L to R):Chris Taylor, Shift Leader/ResidentialAmanda Vogel, MA, Therapist/OutpatientHolly Booth, LPN, Nurse/Residential

Painted by a student at Residential