Town Of North Haven Department Of Community Services And Recreation

DEPARTMENT OF
COMMUNITY SERVICES AND RECREATION

The Community Services and Recreation Department operates comprehensive programs and services available to all North Haven residents. This department provides a myriad of social service programs, behavioral health, daycare, youth services, senior center services and recreation. Services are conveniently offered at the Town Hall Annex and the Mildred A. Wakeley Community and Recreation Center on Linsley Street. The Joyce C. Budrow Senior Center is located at 189 Pool Road.
The Community Services and Recreation Department programs are funded in part by state and federal monies. This has made it possible for North Haven to provide a wide variety of community services to a large number of North Haven residents with a minimum expenditure of local dollars. Many programs are offered with a sliding scale fee, determined by income. Fees for recreation are noted in the program brochure, which is published four times a year and is available at the Recreation Center.

Description:
COUNSELING PROGRAMS

North Haven Community Services offers a range of outpatient mental health and outreach services to Town residents. These services include individual, couples, group and family therapy, psychiatric evaluation and medication management. Services are provided by licensed clinicians, and the agency is state licensed as an outpatient psychiatric clinic. Assessment, treatment, and psychosocial education are provided in a safe, confidential setting. 24 hour emergency service is provided. Referrals for services may come from hospitals, schools, physicians, family members or individuals.

Informational, preventative and educational programs are offered throughout the year to the community. Staff members are available as speakers, upon request, on topics such as parenting, mental health issues, alcohol and drug prevention, education, stress management, bereavement and other social services concerns. Educational materials are available to the community on a multitude of topics. For information on all available services, please call (203) 239-5321, ext. 780.

SUPPORT SERVICES
The Department of Community Services and Recreation assists residents year round with basic needs. During the holiday season, a variety of items are available.

If there are social service needs that cannot be met by this department, staff will assist with information and referrals to the appropriate agencies or programs. For further information please contact Community Services at (203) 239-5321 ext. 780.

FOOD BANK
The Community Services and Recreation Department maintains and operates a food bank for North Haven residents who are in need. Our Food Bank is maintained through the Connecticut Food Bank as well as generous donations from individuals and community organizations. Please call 239-5321 ext. 780 to request utilization of this service.

ENERGY ASSISTANCE PROGRAM
The energy assistance program provides eligible residents with heating assistance during the fall and winter months. Those residents who meet established federal financial guidelines may obtain financial assistance for their heating/utility bills. Information is also provided to individuals and families concerning eligibility requirements for state and federal assistance programs. For further assistance, please call the energy line at (203) 239-2566.

YOUTH SERVICES
Many special services are available through the Department of Community Services and Recreation to address the needs of the young people of North Haven. Among these are services that are designed to promote and foster positive youth development. Staff members are involved with North Haven youth in providing health and wellness activities, substance abuse prevention programs, cultural and educational offerings and employment opportunities. Court diversion and counseling programs offer temporary assistance to young people in crisis.

“PROJECT GRADUATION”, which has just completed its 21st successful year, is a joint project involving members of the Community Services and Recreation Department, North Haven High School PTSA and graduating class of North Haven High School. This program, which provides the Senior Class with an all-night drug/alcohol free celebration on graduation night, is supported by generous donations from North Haven community members and local businesses.

The Youth Services Administrator is an active member of professional organizations such as Connecticut Youth Services Association (CYSA) and Planning for Children and Youth Committee (PCYC). Memberships in these organizations enable us to network and advocate for issues important to our youth.

For further information on any of the Youth Services programs, call 239-5321 ext. 780.

COMMUNITY SERVICES DAY CARE CENTER
The Department of Community Services and Recreation offers a state-licensed, as well as a nationally accredited day care program through the National Association for the Education of Children (NAEYC). The center has been providing care for children for 30 years. The program consists of a full-day preschool program and a before- and after- school program which services children from 2 years and 9 months of age through 5th grade.

Community Services Day Care Center is committed to providing high quality childcare in a warm, loving, safe, stimulating environment, as well as providing support for the family as a whole. Our staff works as a partner with parents/guardians to promote programs that guide the intellectual, social, emotional, and physical development of all children. The program provides an environment and opportunities for children to experience the joy of learning and to meet their academic potential on an individual basis.
The child care center is partially funded by the State of Connecticut Department of Social Services and participates in the Child and Adult Care Food Program funded by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA). Nutritious meals and snacks are provided at no additional fee. Admission criteria is based upon income levels. A sliding fee scale is available.

For information or program application, call 239-7366.

SENIOR CITIZEN SERVICES
Programs for senior citizens are offered by the Department of Community Services and Recreation at the Joyce C. Budrow Senior Center, located at 189 Pool Road. Services are provided to adults 62 years and older, with a wide range of activities offered throughout the day. The multi-purpose center is open from 8:30 AM to 4:30 PM, Monday through Friday, with occasional special evening and weekend events. Programming is designed to appeal to a wide variety of interests and includes evening book club, chorus, computer lab, crafts, oil painting, ceramics, cultural activities and trips. Exercise programs include, chair exercise, yoga, tai chi, and tap dance. Outdoor sports include a walking club, bocce, and shuffleboard. In addition, many inter-generational activities are planned. A newsletter of events and activities is distributed at the beginning of each month.

Transportation is available to all members to and from the center upon request. Medical transportation is available by appointment to North Haven, New Haven, and Hamden on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays. In addition, grocery shopping, errands, and the hairdressers are offered on a regularly scheduled basis. A daily, nutritious, hot meal is available to persons 60 years of age or older and their spouses. Health counseling clinics are provided by V.N.A. Services, Inc. and are held twice a month. No appointment is necessary for the service that includes blood pressure screenings and general health counseling.

Courses on defensive driving and assistance with income tax preparation are sponsored in conjunction with the center by AARP. Outreach programs are available to assist the homebound.

For further information, call 239-5432.

RECREATION PROGRAMS
The Department of Community Services and Recreation offers to the North Haven community an outstanding array of recreational programs and leisure activities designed to meet the needs of toddlers through senior citizens. Staff members and Parks and Recreation Commissioners are consistently striving to meet the challenge of providing over 150 varied recreational programs and activities throughout the year.

Annually, thousands participate in the offerings which are designed to span the wide range of interests of our residents. Fitness programs such as “Stronger Longer", aqua aerobics, classes on dog obedience, preschool activities, nursery school programs, sports camps, summer camps, playgrounds and special interest bus trips are just some of the many activities in which our residents can participate. Summer and holiday times bring added excitement with traditional seasonal programming and the extremely popular Summer Concert Series on the Town Green. Throughout the summer months well-known groups from the 50’s and 60’s join with contemporary favorites to entertain with music and song. Many of these special seasonal offerings are funded in whole or in part by the generous sponsorship of the business community.

A highlight of the department continues to be the Walter J. Gawrych Community Pool, which will enter its twentieth year of operation. Swim lessons and programs for youngsters through seniors remain among the most popular offerings of the department. This Olympic size facility is open daily for fitness programs, lessons, open swims and birthday parties.

The Department of Community Services and Recreation maintains a strong commitment to the youth of North Haven as is evidenced by the annual KIDPRIDE program. Each year the achievements of our young people are recognized through entertainment and special events, including KIDFEST, which follows the Memorial Day Parade. Youth Service Awards are presented to young people who have volunteered their time and talents to improve the quality of life in North Haven.

The Community Services and Recreation Department remains proud of its commitment to meeting the recreational needs of the North Haven community through maximum utilization of available resources. In addition to offering its own programs and supporting the interscholastic athletic programs of the North Haven Board of Education, the Parks and Recreation Commission also approves co-sponsorship of many youth organizations such as Hamden-North Haven Swim Club, Max Sinoway Baseball League, North Haven Soccer Club, North Haven Girls’ Softball and Youth Football.

Information concerning all recreational programs and facilities may be obtained at the Recreation Center office on 7 Linsley Street or by calling 239-5321 ext. 770.

History:
The early history of the Town of North Haven is recorded in the history of the colony and the Town of New Haven, of which it formed a part. As the numbers of settlers grew and wants increased, tracts of land were measured and apportioned among the planters. These tracts were called "Divisions" and the Town of North Haven lay principally in the "Third, Fourth and Fifth Divisions." North Haven became a separate and distinct town on the 19th of October, 1786, and the first town meeting was held at the Meeting House, on the second Tuesday of November, 1786. In 1714, Rev. James Pierpont gave land in his will for a meeting house, burying ground, market place, and training ground. The first brickyard on the continent was found when Theophilus Eaton found clay on his property on the west side of the Quinnipiac River. The brickyards continued to play an important role in the development and history of North Haven, well into the 20th century.

Today, North Haven is a suburban residential community with a healthy and growing commercial, retailing and manufacturing base which employs approximately 12,640 people. There are more than 75 highly diversified manufacturing and commercial firms in North Haven, 40 of which are assessed at over $1,000,000. North Haven has five industrial parks containing 490 acres, and boasts such corporate tenants as Anthem Blue Cross & Blue Shield, Pratt & Whitney and United States Surgical Corporation. An excellent parks system and a wide variety of housing from the modest to magnificent, make North Haven a quality place to live in - as well as to do business.

Contact people:

Carla Pelliccio, Administrative Assistant, (phone), (email) Janet McCarty, First Selectman, Town Of North Haven, (phone), (email) Barbara Feinberg, Administrative Assistant, (phone), (email)

Office fax number: (203) 234-3942

Address:

5 Linsley St. North Haven, CT 06473 (See a map)

Web Site: http://www.town.north-haven.ct.us/

Last updated on September 25, 2009