The Child and Family Guidance Center

04/02/2026

The Child & Family Guidance Center joined our second AI 101 webinar alongside nonprofit partners from across the state. Staff, including President and CEO Gisselle Acevedo, explored how AI can enhance workplace efficiency and strengthen our impact.

Thank you to Rich Leimsider and Alexandra Feldhausen for hosting, and to Lone Pine Foundation and The Fund for the City of New York for supporting this learning opportunity. We’re excited to continue exploring how AI can advance our mission to help children and families thrive.

03/27/2026

Every child deserves a strong, safe connection with their parent. CFGC is helping make that possible.

At the 26th Annual New England Fatherhood Conference, our Director of Reunification and Therapeutic Family Time, Hyacintha Bernard, led a powerful session on making the most of court-approved parenting time.

Alongside Dr. Stanley Bernard of Southern Connecticut State University, she shared strategies that help families rebuild trust, strengthen bonds, and create healthier futures for children.

Our RTFT and Community Support for Families teams were also there, learning and contributing to bring the best possible care back to the families we serve every day.

Your support makes this work possible.

03/20/2026

As Women’s History Month and Social Work Month are recognized this March, we celebrate leaders like Sylvadra Ellis, LCSW, Regional Program Director of Mobile Crisis Intervention Services. The field of social work has long been shaped by women advancing access, equity, and community-centered care, a legacy that continues through our daily work.

Under Sylvadra’s leadership, the MCIS team is active day and night in the field, meeting families where they are and offering essential in-home support during moments of crisis.

Last year, the MCIS team responded to 1,398 calls with a median response time of 30 minutes and a 98.6% mobility rate, surpassing the state benchmark and delivering care when it matters most.

Thank you to Sylvadra and the entire MCIS team she leads.

03/19/2026

This Women’s History Month, we are spotlighting Gisselle Acevedo, M.Ed., J.D., L.M.F.T., CFGC’s first female CEO in our 100-year history.

Among her many accomplishments, as a lawyer and a licensed marriage and family therapist with over 2 decades of experience, she is currently a professor at Fairfield University and previously served as president and CEO of Para Los Niños in Los Angeles and the Ackerman Institute for the Family in New York City.

Formerly serving as an intern, clinician, and board member at CFGC, strong women like Gisselle not only lead us but also inspire us every day with their dedication to service, justice, and innovation.

Happy Women’s History Month, from our hearts to yours.

03/12/2026

Hyacintha Bernard, MS, Director of the Reunification & Therapeutic Family Time Program at The Child & Family Guidance Center, and Board of Directors member of The Klein Memorial, celebrated with current and former CFGC colleagues at the 8th Annual Wine at the Klein event. It was a pleasure to see our CEO, Gisselle Acevedo, and several members of our leadership team, including Sylvadra Ellis and Danielle Marchione, as well as former CFGC colleague Sarah Witherington, in attendance to support this wonderful community asset.

03/11/2026

Join us for Tacos & Tequila at Rosie New Canaan on May 1 from 6–8 PM! 🌮

A discussion on parenting will be facilitated by clinical expert and author Matthew Maynard, LMFT.

All ticket proceeds will benefit The Child & Family Guidance Center.

Purchase tickets here: https://cfgc.salsalabs.org/rosietacosandtequila

03/05/2026

Quality supports and mental health care are not one-size-fits-all. 🌱🥾

The Child & Family Guidance Center’s Care Coordination Team meets individuals where they are, respects their values, and provides culturally responsive support that is consistent, effective, and respectful. It offers integrated wraparound services and a structured, person-centered approach to coordinating services across providers and systems.

Many thanks to Care Coordinator Gina Bisogno for taking the time to share how our care coordination team meets community need!

03/03/2026

The Hartford Courant recently released an article regarding growing demand, long waitlists, and increasing behavioral health crises affecting children and families across Connecticut. These challenges reflect a statewide reality: too many families struggle to access timely mental health care when they need it most.

As an Enhanced Care Clinic (ECC), The Child & Family Guidance Center currently provides timely access to care with no waitlist, allowing children and families to begin services when concerns first arise. Immediate access is critical because untreated behavioral health needs often worsen over time, contributing to school disruption, family stress, and unnecessary emergency department visits.

Our early intervention services are designed to help families address their child's emotional and behavioral concerns before they become acute. We know that prevention and family support programs that build caregiver resilience reduce risk factors linked to crisis involvement. Systemic care is as important as individual care.

CFGC remains committed to partnering with state agencies, schools, healthcare providers, and community organizations to ensure every child has access to timely, effective mental health care, not only during crises, but preventing them before they begin.

Read the full story here: https://www.courant.com/2026/03/01/waitlists-gaps-in-care-and-escalating-crises-advocates-say-ct-lacking-adequate-child-mental-health-care/

02/27/2026

CFGC Winter Highlights: Meet Our New CEO!

https://cfgc.salsalabs.org/cfgcwinterupdate2026

02/26/2026

02/23/2026