Interim Superintendent of Schools Lorrie Rodrigue introduced representatives of the Newtown Center for Support and Wellness (CSW) at the September 5 Board of Education meeting, explaining they were there to continue sharing information about the center with the community.newtowncsw.org

CSW Director Jennifer Crane, MS, MFT, and CSW Advisory Board member Brian Mauriello both spoke at the meeting. Ms Crane oversaw the presentation.

"We're here today because we are trying to do some outreach to make sure people know who we are and what we are doing," she said, before sharing information about CSW's service, staff, and mission.

"We are the brick [building] right when you pull into the Fairfield Hills Camps," Ms Crane said.

Saying that CSW's biggest service at the moment is its referral service, Ms Crane said, "You can call or you can come in and we will sit down with you and do, sort of, a mini assessment."

CSW's staff will ask questions like what insurance people have, their availability, and what service they are looking for. The staff will then work to give a referral to the client within 24 hours, according to the presentation.

"Our mission is to be the single point of contact for mental health and wellness resources in Newtown," said Ms Crane. "This is the mission that we created when we started in March 2016... And right now we are starting to look at whether there are gaps in the town that are missing, things that we want to fill."

CSW, Ms Crane explained, is working to reach out to groups in the community to gather a sense of the community's needs.

According to the presentation, CSW staff spend time with providers to enhance its database of more than 200 providers to better connect clients with providers. Ms Crane said CSW already works closely with Newtown Social Services and is working with other groups in town.

"We are a really friendly and nonjudgmental staff," she said, adding that staffers will work with clients to make them feel comfortable and help figure out insurance issues.

So far, CSW has made more than 390 referrals to providers. Ms Crane said CSW wants to be able to provide the wellness resources and be able to respond to any new needs that develop in Newtown.

, for more information.Ms Crane also said students and families can go on its website,

"We're here for everybody for all reasons... anybody, for any reason," said Ms Crane. "Our long-term support and investment in the town will continue to have a place for these resources. That's what we are looking for."