Our Mission
The Mission of the corporation is to ensure a quality system of comprehensive, recovery oriented mental health and addiction services that enhances the quality of life and well being of all residents of Southwest Connecticut.
Revised December, 2004
Vision
The Southwest Regional Mental Health Board, Inc. is a citizens’ advisory council, created by State mandate to assess and promote mental health and addiction services in Southwestern Connecticut.
To be effective we will successfully:
- Maintain a membership that represents all of the 14 towns in Region I (Southwest Connecticut)
- Encourage participation from all stakeholders – including consumers, family members, providers, concerned citizens and community leaders.
- Hold regular and public meetings that are action oriented.
- Collaborate with local businesses, non-profit organizations, and government agencies to provide community education and to reduce stigma of mental illness.
- Evaluate specific mental health and addiction related services in our region, and make recommendations for improvements to the Department of Mental Health and Addiction Services.
- Share reports and recommendations with our community.
Staff
Margaret Watt, MPH, MA
Executive Director
Margaret Watt is the Executive Director at SWRMHB. She has ten years of experience as a public health consultant, providing assessment, systems design, and training to preventive health programs in developing countries. She looks forward to adapting her international health experience to the field of mental health in her role as Executive Director. Margaret has also worked for a number of years in education, including three years as a bilingual elementary school teacher. She is co-founder of a parent advocacy group, Norwalk SPED Partners, which collaborates with the local school district to provide training and programs to improve the lives of children with special needs. Margaret has a Master of Public Health degree from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and a Master of Arts in Education from Teachers College at Columbia University. She received her undergraduate degree from Harvard University.
Anisha Thomas, MA, NCC
Project Assistant
Anisha Thomas has a Master of Arts degree in Counseling from George Washington University, Graduate School of Education and Human Development and a Bachelor of Arts degree in Psychology from New York University. She has over 10 years of experience working in the human services field in both the non-profit and higher education settings. Her roles have included University Career Services Coordinator, EAP Counselor and Vocational Rehabilitation Counselor. She is also a National Certified Counselor (NCC). She is presently a representative for the Positive Youth Development Committee. Positive Youth Development (PYD) is a collaboration of Westport Public Schools with The United Way of Coastal Fairfield County, Westport Department of Human Services, Positive Directions and the Westport PTA Council. The mission of PYD is to promote the positive development of children and youth in their families, in their schools, among their peers, and in their communities. As Project Assistant with the Southwest Regional Mental Health Board, she continues to pursue her dedication to mental health education and advocacy.
