Serving Western Connecticut for 50+ years.
McCall Behavioral Health Network is an organization with a history of transformation, reflecting the complex and ever-changing needs of our communities and our clients. That’s never been more apparent than during the exciting merger of the McCall Center for Behavioral Health and Central Naugatuck Valley Help, Inc.
Although it was in the planning stages for many years, the official merger on July 1st of 2022 was the fulfillment of a long-held dream of both agencies to expand our continuum of care throughout all of Western Connecticut. Now we’re able to offer services from Canaan in the far northwest corner to Danbury in the southwest.
We’ve become one united entity, which has strengthened our capabilities as leaders in behavioral healthcare. Together, we remain committed to meeting the evolving needs of individuals and communities – placing wellness at the center of everything we do.
Timeline
McCall
CNV
In the 1970s, an emergency room physician named Carnes Weeks noticed that, in many cases, a patient would come in repeatedly with the same ailment. He recognized that these return patients had something in common: they were struggling with a substance use disorder. Dr. Weeks set up a dedicated space in the emergency department where people could receive treatment for their addiction. That was the beginning of a long-standing tradition of helping and healing – a tradition that continues to this day.
In the mid to late 1960s, a group of parents in Waterbury were becoming increasingly concerned about their children and the ravaging effects of alcohol and drug dependence. These parents began meeting on a regular basis and eventually called themselves the Central Naugatuck Valley Drug Help Committee. They formed the roots of the organization that would become CNV Help, Inc., serving the community with ever-expanding reach and capabilities.
Milestone moments in
1970
1970
1970
Federally recognized as a not-for-profit, adopting the name “Central Naugatuck Valley Drug Help, Inc.”
1971
Officially opened our doors on November 29, 1971.
1971
Launched our first support program, Drug Help, which later became Rev. Edward M. Dempsey Drug Services (named after our third Executive Director).
1977
Incorporated as Northwestern Connecticut Council on Alcoholism, the first alcohol treatment program in the area, operating out of a small office in Sharon Hospital.
1978
Renamed the “McCall Foundation” to honor the family from Lakeville that provided seed money for the organization.
1978
Moved to offices on Prospect Place in Torrington to better serve the area’s largest concentration of people. “McCall House” opened on Migeon Avenue, also in Torrington, for residential treatment and as a “halfway house.”
1979
Two visionary priests, Ed Dempsey and John Weaver, change the agency name to Central Naugatuck Valley Help, Inc.
1979
Rogers House opened. Our first Community Residence for mental health clients was named for Arthur Rogers, a pioneer in Region V’s earliest attempts to aid in the deinstitutionalization process. Art and his wife were members of the Regional Mental Health Board. The combined efforts of this husband-and-wife team spearheaded the local, community-based approach to residential services for people discharged from Fairfield Hills Hospital in Newtown.
1980
1980
1986
During a period of tremendous growth, McCall outgrew its facilities on Prospect Place and moved to its current location at 58 High Street in Torrington.
1986
Following Reverend Hammond’s death and that of his wife, the program known as Benham Place was renamed Wynnewood House, in honor of Michael Wynne, former Executive Director of the Regional Mental Health Board, Region V.
1987
The Warner House (named after past Board of Directors’ President Dorothy Warner) was opened to serve Department of Correction clients.
1988
A Day Program (PHP) was developed to expand intensive outpatient services.
1988
Due to growth and the needs of clients outside of Torrington, McCall opened satellite outpatient offices on North Main Street in Winsted and on Upper Main Street in Lakeville.
1988
Wynnewood House became a residential mental health home for individuals seeking recovery from a psychiatric disorder.
1988
Glenlunan House became a Community Residence for adults with a psychiatric diagnosis, who are referred by Western CT Mental Health Network (a DMHAS program). This program honors the memory of Polly Lunan, a member of the CNV Help, Inc. Board of Directors, whose untimely death deprived the agency of a unique source of common sense and down-to-earth concern for life’s marginalized populations.
1990
1990
1990
Introduced two prevention programs: the Positive Youth Program and the Parenting Education & Support Center.
1992
Fenton House transformed from a three-quarter house into an intermediate residential treatment program for the Office of Alternative Sanctions.
1993
Established the Carnes Weeks Center in Torrington, our intensive residential care facility (named for the former Board of Directors’ President Dr. Carnes Weeks, Jr.) with readily available state funding.
1994
A new family center was constructed at the main High Street campus with funding from the Torrington Foundation for Public Giving and First National Bank of Litchfield.
1994
CNV Help, Inc. established a residential substance use treatment program for incarcerated women, housed at McAuliffe Manor in the town of Litchfield, CT (in the historic Litchfield County Jail, which was built in the early 1800s).
2000
2000
2007
Hotchkiss House, an eight-bed recovery house, opened in Torrington to provide long-term housing for individuals who have completed one or more treatment programs.
2009
McAuliffe Manor closed in June of 2009 after its contract with the State Department of Correction and CNV Help, Inc. expired.
2009
Opened two new Outpatient Substance Use Programs: Watkins Network (in Torrington) and Travisano Network (in Danbury). These programs provided substance use treatment, domestic violence education, anger management, family counseling, parenting classes, and employment services.
2009
Renato Network opened, providing the City of Waterbury with employment services for individuals recently released from incarceration.
2010
2010
2013
Created the Litchfield County Opiate Task Force.
2014
Received a grant from Thomaston Savings Bank to redesign our website.
2014
Rogers House became a residential program for adults seeking recovery from a psychiatric diagnosis.
2015
Received a grant from the Foundation for Community Health to purchase and implement Advik, an electronic medical record system.
2015
Renato Network (now known as Renato Outpatient Services) expanded services to also include substance use treatment, domestic violence education, anger management, family counseling, parenting classes, intensive outpatient services, psychiatric evaluations, and medication management.
2016
Changed name to the “McCall Center for Behavioral Health” to better represent all aspects of the services we provide, such as Treatment and Recovery, Community, and Prevention.
2016
Received a grant from the Draper Fund to upgrade our technology, including phones, computers, and web server.
2016
Received a SAMHSA Grant for Medical Assisted Treatment (MAT) that enabled McCall to add a Registered Nurse, Recovery Coach and MAT Specialist Clinician to the services we offer.
2017
Fenton House, now known as Hanson House, became an intermediate residential program specifically for women in need of continued structure and therapeutic support. Hanson House was made possible by funding through DMHAS and a large grant from the Archdiocese of Hartford.
2018
Celebrated 40 years of service and continues to adapt to the changing needs of our clients and the communities we serve.
2018
Received Hearst Media’s Top Workplaces in Connecticut Award (an honor we continue to receive every year).
2019
Expanded our continuum of care to offer Adolescent Services.
2019
Awarded international accreditation from the Commission on Accreditation of Rehabilitation Facilities (CARF).
2020
2020
2020
The COVID-19 pandemic brought workplace changes to the behavioral healthcare industry. In response, we expanded telehealth services (providing technology to clients when needed, such as cell phones with pre-loaded minutes).
2020
CNV Help, Inc. celebrated 50 years of service.
2020
During the COVID-19 pandemic, we quickly adjusted to help clients access necessary services. This included embracing telehealth technology. Despite COVID-19, we were committed to delivering in-person services at the residential level of care to ensure clients received what they needed.
2020
The McCall Center for Behavioral Health and CNV Help, Inc. became affiliated on July 1st.
2020
The Anne and Rollin Bates Foundation provided funding to help us provide uninterrupted care to our clients throughout the pandemic.
2021
The affiliated entity received its first Top Workplace Award as a combined agency.
2021
CEO Maria Coutant Skinner received the Heart Connecticut Media Group’s Top Leader award for midsized employers.
2021
Received a one-million-dollar grant from the Rural Communities Opioid Response Program to address the opioid epidemic in rural Litchfield County.
2022
Partnered with Genoa Healthcare Pharmacy to offer on-site pharmacy services to our clients and their families.
2022
The official merger was completed on July 1, 2022, and the new organization was named McCall Behavioral Health Network.
2022
Received a grant from the Northwest Community Bank Foundation to update and combine websites.
2022
Acquired a building at 883 Main Street in Torrington to house IT, Facilities, Development and Marketing, and Community and Law Enforcement Addiction Recovery (CLEAR) teams.
2023
We will continue to provide kind, compassionate support for individuals with substance use and mental health disorders.