President’s Report

President's Report
November 1, 2012

For nearly 130 years, Northwood has been in the business of giving the children and families we serve a better shot at leading successful and satisfying lives. Recently, as part of our annual strategic planning process, the Board of Directors oversaw and approved a significant revision to our mission and our vision and values statement that more sharply defines exactly how we intend to go about accomplishing that goal. I’d like to share the content with you so you know what to expect from us as an organization as we use this document to guide the paths we endeavor to take and the decisions we choose to make.

Northwood Children’s Services mission is to build brighter futures for the children and families we serve. We operate a full continuum of quality mental health treatment programs delivered by passionate, professional, and highly trained staff.

Our vision is to provide the right service at the right time, with a focus on integrated and continuous care.

Our values: The children, first and foremost; Excellence in all that we do so we become the program of choice in each of the service areas we choose to operate; To provide every opportunity for children and families to enrich their lives; To continue our rich history and legacy of professionalism and service to the community; and finally,to serve children and families with significant challenges and barriers.

If not us, who?
If not here, where?

Let me give you a brief update on what we have been doing recently to bring the mission to life. Our new day treatment program at Lincoln Park Middle School opened the first day of school. Replicating the highly successful program we launched at Piedmont Elementary School last year, we started with a full complement of 16 students. The program has been incredibly well received by the teachers and principal at the school and is off to a great start.

You may hear a little more about our programs at Northwood as we get closer to a formal celebration of our 130th anniversary next summer. We have initiated contact with a number of media outlets so that we may create opportunities to better familiarize the public about our proud legacy, current programs, and plans for the future.

Finally, we heard from a former student – the most affirming part of our jobs – to bring us up to date about her life. She is working in the health care field and is about a year away from completing her RN degree. She attributes her success and the fact that she is alive today to her time at Northwood.

The children, first and foremost. If not us, who? If not here, where?

Richard Wolleat
President & CEO