If you love yourself and love helping others you will gain satisfaction from social work as you empower other people to improve their quality of life. When you are passionate about your work it's like you never work a day in your life.

- Martha Klaczak, LMHC, LADC I, Westfield CBHC Adult Program Director

I'm passionate about social work because it's centered on nurturing deep connections with clients. We not only offer practical help but also emotional support, establishing a supportive environment where individuals feel valued and validated. These relationships are pivotal in guiding clients through difficulties and fostering positive growth. It's a profession that empowers individuals to express themselves and advocate for their needs, ensuring that everyone's voice is heard and respected.

- Amy Brown, MSW, LCSW, Outpatient Clinician

I love my job, because I can support the families I work with, take care of my own family, and be my true self while doing it.

- Erin E. Smith, ICC Care Coordinator

I became a social worker to help empower people to live up to their full potential. Being a part of this journey is why I love being a social worker.

- Debbie Vall, MSW, LCSW

I have been doing this work for 24 years. I have worked in residential services, I have been a case manager, a care coordinator and now a team leader. I have seen the good, the bad, the ugly and the unthinkable. The days I receive a message, a call or see a former kiddo or caregiver I have worked with who tells me “I graduated…,” “I went into the service…,” “I love my job…,” “meet my child…”. Then the best ones are “Thank you for everything you did for me…,” “Thank you for always caring about me…,” or “Thank you for giving me hope…”. These are the reasons I love this work and will continue to do this work. If you can change the life of just one person, you have done an amazing job!

- Jessica McBride, MS, ICC Team Lead

I have had the privilege to wear many different hats over the past 16 years in the social work field; from working in residential programs, supporting homeless veterans, being a counselor at a recovery high school, working outreach/CBHI, providing individual therapy, to now supervising other social workers and interns and becoming a program director. Every day is something new and every day I am still learning! I try to empower individuals to advocate for their own needs and problem solve the challenges they face every day. Celebrating the success of families and staff, no matter how small and instilling hope in those that thought change was not possible.

- Jenna Frangiamore, LICSW, Program Director, Intensive Care Coordination Program

I enjoy my job because I can help make someone’s world a little better and to be their best version of themselves. I can help be a positive change for others. At the end of the day, I just want to make my part of the world a better and more positive space.

- Anonymous, ICC Care Coordinator

I choose this field because I love to see the growth of the families and see them achieve what they once saw as impossible. I always believe that making a change starts with one person and everyone has the power to start that change.

- Cinthya Cordero, ICC Care Coordinator

“The two most important days in your life are the day you were born and the day you find out why.” Mark Twain.  

“I have been working with youth since I completed the AmeriCorps program called Public Allies in Hartford CT, class of 2013. I had difficulties as a youth and young adult with trauma and getting myself into trouble, so I applied with AmeriCorps, and they hired me despite my record at the time. I was placed at Burr Elementary School in Hartford as a Youth Development Worker as well as co-facilitator of the Teen Outreach Program.

The consensus we got from community meetings was that there were not enough after-school activities for youth and young adults. So, in our brainstorming meeting one of the Allies suggested we do a film festival. We all agreed this would be brilliant if we could make it happen. We started partnering with everyone after that. I partnered with the Boys and Girls Club to support the young adults there who wanted to make movies. We supported them through the whole process from inception to final edits by their sides. We received grants for prizes that totaled 5 thousand dollars and were able to get trophies for the voted winners. It was the most beautiful experience I have had to see the community come together for Hartford youth and not only that, but it secured my decision to keep trying to work with and support youth from the inner cities and most disadvantaged populations.

Since then, I have worked in schools as a para, long term substitute teacher, therapeutic mentor, and now Intensive Care Coordination (ICC) for the last 5 or so years. I am a co-founder of the Reel Youth Hartford Film Festival that still goes on from the initial 2013 year to now and that was the day I learned why I was born. I currently love working in ICC because it is unique to any position I have had with youth thus far in that I am actually able to see change for the good and be a part of what is creating that positive change for the families I work with because we have such a broad scope of what we can do to support them.

- Samantha Dagesse, ICC Care Coordinator