Friday, October 14, 2016
Bev hired me in 1987 to work with the Mental Health Association of CT to set-up the first group home in the State for deaf and hard of hearing persons with persistent mental illness. For many years, she had worked with grassroots activists in the deaf community to raise money for this lofty goal. Under Bev's guidance and with her ability to secure funding from the CT Department of Mental Health (now DMHAS), services were finally expanded to this underserved population, and Robinson House was opened in 1988.
Bev's commitment to deaf and hard of hearing persons with mental illness was unwavering. And, she had a life long passion for improving mental health services in general, including advocacy for parity in the area of insurance coverage for behavioral health services.
I also benefited from her advice about dealing with a colicky baby. She generously allowed me to use the broken, but loud, vacuum cleaner from the MHAC Wethersfield office to soothe my inconsolable newborn. I learned a lot from her and I am forever grateful.
