The Newsletter for the friends and internal community at Sarah A Reed Children's Center in Erie,PA. which recaps some of our efforts during the last few months during this COVID -19 Cloud.Covers all five campuses. sarahreed.org

1. 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 Center
Shining 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 extraordinary
care, 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 the
promise of a greater tomorrow. This past year we learned to depend on one another, the value of community, and that we are, indeed, all
in this together. I am not sad to say goodbye to 2020 but welcome 2021 with great anticipation and enthusiasm. Wishing you health and
success in this New Year!
John Kathman, shift leader and talented artist at our
Hamilton Partial Hospitalization Program, was awarded the
$500 Gary Cermak Award to purchase supplies that will
allow him to continue his efforts to beautify the campus
with murals. These projects are the result of collaborative
efforts of the students and staff. The students take pride in
knowing that they are making the space special for children
who 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 is
presented annually to a staff member for a special project.
2445 West 34th Street
Erie, 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 and
1,700 children, adults and
families, health and safety are
top priorities. Everyday upon
arrival at any of our
campuses, employees must
have their temperature taken
and complete a survey to
assess their risk of exposure
to COVID-19. Our nurses
stand ready to answer health
questions, take care of the
children and help staff to
navigate the new normal to
keep staff and children safe.
We are grateful for our
skilled and dedicated
medical team!
From left: Jennifer Zietz, RN director of
nursing, takes the temperature of Abigail
Burton, client records coordinator, inside
the Leslie Medical Center on the campus
of Sarah Reed's Residential Treatment
Program.
Gary Cermak Award Recipient

2. 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 with
a 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 Residential
Program (in Gifford Cottage) and provided structure, support and activities to the kids. I really felt like I
was 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 vice
president of the Partial Hospitalization Program. The growth, change, variety of duties and opportunity to
train 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. in
Counseling 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 positions
throughout the agency before being tapped for her current role as Director of Clinical Services. We are
looking forward to her leadership and guidance in 2021 and beyond.
Dr. Laura Amoscato is our new Director of Quality Assurance/Quality Improvement (QA/QI) and
Psychology Internship Training. She has been with the agency for over five years. Before joining the team
at 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 of
primarily 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 and
therapeutic 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 at
all. 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 journey
to understand their circumstances and diagnoses, helping to instill hope in their hearts for a good future, and building teams who will
continue 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 overall
agency. Change can be difficult, but it’s also a chance to explore areas for growth and to learn
new 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. Amoscato
Dennis Walsh (left),retired
associate vice president of
the Partial Hospitalization
Program and Jim Mando,
former president of Sarah
A. Reed Children's Center.
“I’m incredibly excited about the growth and change occurring throughout the agency right now. I’m
particularly 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 Hospitalization
Program. We caught up with Dennis to learn more about his 43-year journey at Sarah Reed, which took
him 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 administrative
support, 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 the
momentum of how we operated and the caring nature of our programs never changed. That overruled any kind
of 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 treatment
for them.
New Year Brings New Roles for Two Doctoral Staff Members
Page 2
Laura Amoscato, Ph.D.
Director of QA/QI and
Psychology 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?

3. Parent-Child Interaction Therapy
Sarah Reed's Outpatient Program is currently accepting clients for Parent-Child Interaction
Therapy (PCIT). PCIT is an evidence-based treatment used for children ages 2.5-7 who are
exhibiting disruptive behaviors within the home or school setting. This treatment utilizes both
the parent and child in treatment, works to improve the parent-child relationship, and teaches
parents a highly effective and specialized behavior management strategy. One of the
components that makes PCIT unique is that it utilizes a bug-in-the-ear system, where the
therapist speaks directly to the parent through a one-way mirror. This allows for practice of
newly learned skills in real-time and provides parents with the support and confidence to
succeed with their children in treatment. Additionally, PCIT can be used with children who are
exhibiting 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 five
residence halls chose a window, and the children from each cottage collaborated on their theme and helped bring their ideas to life!
Around the Agency
Page 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 a
recent Parent-Child Interaction
Therapy session at Sarah Reed's
Outpatient Program.
Hard Work Pays Off for Students at Emerson-Gridley Campus
Students in Sarah Reed's Sanctuary© Based Learning Program (SBLP) at Emerson-Gridley are
receiving incentives for their hard work and efforts. SBLP teachers Elizabeth Brown, Matt
McLaughlin, and Marcia Staudt have put these programs into place in order to increase attendance
and participation.
So far we have had amazing results! Ron Rodney, Cathy Burke and Julia Smith have been
dropping off the goodies to students' houses on Fridays with well wishes for a job well done. Early
intervention 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 Power
Sarah A. Reed Children's Center is committed to ongoing training for our staff across the agency. Here is a list of recently completed
trainings, which will help our employees serve our clients better and keep their environment safe:
ALICE (active shooter) certification for the agency
Five therapists completed the Cognitive Processing Therapy certification: Allison Hellmann, Josh Gadley, Mary Federowicz,
Meghan Probst and Dr. Sallie Richards
Several staff members from the Partial Hospitalization Program completed Youth Mental Health First Aid Training in November
Our Human Resources staff completed Adult Mental Health First Aid Training through National Alliance on Mental Illness in
December.
Decorating the Windows at Residential

4. 5 Years
Dr. Laura Amoscato
Lacretia Asbury
Stephenie Bojc
Gary Bukowski
Jordan Burns
Amanda Cole
Daniel Cotton
Jessica Dodick
Joel Dombrowski
David Douglas
Amanda 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 program
in Health Services Psychology that is fully accredited by the
American Psychological Association. The internship funds
three full-time training positions beginning in early August
and lasting 12 months.
Since its inception in the early 1980s, this program has
trained 63 students from over 30 colleges and universities
throughout the country.
Annual Employee Service Awards Breakfast Goes Virtual
Celebrating Our Team
Page 4
Congratulations to our employees who met another milestone work anniversary! They were honored
on November 11th with a virtual ceremony hosted by Dr. Adrienne Dixon, President/CEO of Sarah
Reed, along with members of Sarah Reed's Board of Directors. Each honoree was awarded a gift and
words of thanks from their supervisor.
25 Years
Sandra Colon
Frank DiPlacido
Lori Eaton
Jill Houston
Tracy Walsh
30 Years
Kristen Heinrich
Brenda Homansky
35 Years
Rob Potter
Casey Main is the support intervention specialist in our
Partial Hospitalization Program. Casey began his time at
Sarah Reed two years ago as a Behavior Counselor in our
Acute Partial Hospitalization Program.
He works one-on-one with children who are struggling in the
classroom, helping them get back on track. He also collects
and analyzes behavioral data to create intervention plans to
build positive behaviors. Casey also works on program-wide
initiatives to improve service delivery.
Casey, thank you for making a difference at Sarah Reed!
Winter 2021
Congratulations to Rob Potter
on his 35th Anniversary at
Sarah Reed!
We are so proud to have you on
our 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 at
sarahreed.e3applicants.com!
Congratulations to all our staff
celebrating milestones!
Shelby Burton
University of
Louisville
Alaina Stewart
DePaul
University
Heather Wimmer
University of
Hartford

5. Donors Contribute More Than $164,000 Towards Technology Goal to Date
Chromebooks for children and staff
Laptops for teachers, therapists and staff
Webcams for staff computers
SmartBoards
Educational software
HIPAA-compliant telehealth software
Headphones for the children
Wireless projector
As we continue to navigate through the COVID-19 pandemic, the need for technology remains strong
across all of our campuses and programs. In order to cover the growing costs that are associated with
our new provision of care, such as online therapy, virtual education, video conferencing and more, we've
developed 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 members
of the Kahkwa Club for their donation of gifts for all the
children at Residential and to our Chartwell's cafeteria staff
for donating pajamas, hot chocolate and snacks for each of
the 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 of
development, at (814) 835-7602 or e-mail GBukowski@SarahReed.org. Thank you!
Mail your donation to:
Sarah A. Reed Children's Center
ATTN Development Office
2445 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 the
children in our Residential Treatment Program this year. Due to COVID-19, our 62 children remained on campus for the holidays
and 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 to
Erie Insurance! Erie Insurance donated 125
Chromebooks in September 2020, which have made
a huge impact on all our programs across the
agency.
Annual Santa Bar Crawl Goes Virtual
This year's Santa Bar Crawl may have looked much different, but our friends
and families still showed their support of our children in the Partial
Hospitalization Program and raised a grand total of $2,340! The money was
used to purchase Christmas presents for the 88 children in the program.
(L to R) Hamilton staff members Patty Esposito, Michelle Skellie and Patty
Piano purchase gifts for the kids. (At right) Patty Esposito delivers a gift.
Ways to Give to the
150th Anniversary Technological Initiative:
Winter 2021
Page 5
Online at www.SarahReed.org/Donate
Call (814) 835-7602
Thank you!
$300,000
GOAL
$164,889
RAISED!
55%
Thank You, Erie Insurance!

6. If you no longer wish to receive our
newsletter or you prefer to get our e-mail
edition, please contact Stephenie Bojc in
the Development Office at
(814) 835-7604 or
SBojc@sarahreed.org.
Thank you!
2445 West 34th Street
Erie, PA 16506
(814) 838-1954
www.SarahReed.org
Did You Know...
Celebrating 150 Years!
"I remember Sarah Reed. She used
to visit all of the children on Sundays
and give us a piece of candy for
reciting a bible verse correctly. She
was a wonderful lady - very kind."
~A former resident of Sarah A. Reed
Children's Center in the 1940s
Since 1871, our agency has provided
compassionate care to over a quarter of
a million children, adults and families.
We continue to serve over 1,700
people per year in over 50 counties in
Pennsylvania helping them to realize
their potential and experience success!
Coming Soon!
Sarah A. Reed Children's Center will
be hosting a podcast to discuss topics
that relate to mental health, well-being
and the community. Check our social
media pages for more details!
Special Events
Stay home & stay healthy! We'll see you soon!
With the pandemic limiting the number of people
who can gather, our regularly scheduled events will
be postponed until further notice. If you would still
like to show your support, please visit
SarahReed.org/donate or mail your donation to:
Sarah A. Reed Children's Center
Development Office
2445 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 keep
spirits up, connections strong and minds active during this highly challenging year. Efforts
include: Employee Fund holiday giveaways, Sanctuary Supports, Sanctuary Challenges, Virtual
Happy Hours, surveys, employee recognition and more. Thank you to our HR team for making
it fun and rewarding to come to work, especially during this challenging time.
Staff Members (L to R):
Chris Taylor, Shift Leader/Residential
Amanda Vogel, MA, Therapist/Outpatient
Holly Booth, LPN, Nurse/Residential
Painted by a student at Residential