About Us : Coalition

A Chapter of Families Together in NYS, Inc.

We are grass roots, parent run organization committed to ensuring that families of children with behavioral, emotional and social disabilities have access to needed information, supports, and services within Western New York. We do this by working to strengthen family support services, promote awareness of children's mental health issues and foster equal partnerships between parents/caretakers and children's service providers of all types.

Our Mission

The Purpose of the Children’s Mental Health Coalition of WNY Inc. is to strengthen family support services, to promote awareness of children’s mental health issues and to foster equal partnerships between parents and child serving agencies.

Our mission is to:

Promote appropriate and timely services within communities for youth and their families.
Enhance understanding and acceptance within communities through education, public awareness and outreach programs.
Facilitate growth, development and recognition of family support services through education, networking and technical assistance.
Strengthen family support services to promote awareness of mental health issues and foster equal relationships between parents and child serving agencies.
Build respect in our communities for all families facing mental health disorders

Our History

The Western Region Family Support Coalition

The Western New York Family Support Coalition was formed in 1995 by parents and mental health professionals dedicated to increasing support for families who have children with emotional and behavioral disabilities. The Coalition is comprised of representatives from family support programs located in 19 counties of Western New York. Together, these programs serve more than 4,000 families.

Children's Mental Health Coalition of Western New York, Inc.

In September, 2001, the Western Region Family Support Coalition received funding from the New York State Office of Mental Health to formalize its purpose and mission by becoming a non-profit organization. The Children's Mental Health Coalition of Western New York, Inc. assists the individual family support programs of the Western New York Family Support Coalition to grow, to access appropriate training, to fight the stigma attached to families and children with severe emotional disabilities and to continue offering supportive services to children and families in Western New York.

A Chapter of Families Together in New York State

The Children's Mental Health Coalition of Western New York is a chapter of the statewide family support organization, Families Together in New York State, Inc. As a chapter of this organization, CMHC is a part of a network of caring families working toward providing support, collective action, partnership and strength in achieving the care necessary for our children and families.

Services We Offer

What is Family Support?

Family Support is an array of formal and informal services to assist families of children with emotional, behavioral and/or social disabilities. These services help children live at home, attend school, and balance their lives while giving attention to the needs of all family members. Family support emphasizes full parent/guardian participation in service planning and evaluation, services in the child's own home whenever possible as well as flexibility and responsiveness from the formal services system. Family support services may be "whatever it takes" for a family to care for and live with a child or adolescent with emotional or behavioral problems.

The Children's Mental Health Coalition offers an array of services to assist in the growth of family support. These services include, but are not limited to:

An Annual Conference
Ongoing Training and Educational Workshops
Monthly Meetings for Service Providers and Educators
Information and Referral
Informational Website and List-Serve
Lending Library
Access of Meeting Space
Parent Partner/Advocate Employment
Community Education
Green Ribbon (Child and Adolescent Mental Health Awareness) Day Events

Our Employees

Our Executive Director

We are very fortunate to have Mary Skorupa on board as its first executive director. Her many years of experience in the family support movement, public relations, and management made her the ideal choice for this position. For eleven years, Mary served in the Information and Referral and Public Relations/Communications departments of the Mental Health Association of Erie County. In 1996, Mary became the coordinator of the Mental Health Association's family support program, building it from a membership of 23 families to more than 200 families, with four support groups a month and the addition of three parent advocates. Mary also helped to procure resources to provide respite services to families in Erie County and dramatically increased the financial support of the family support program under her leadership. During this time, she also maintained an active membership in the regional Coalition and was instrumental in assisting the Coalition in obtaining 501 3 C status for the new corporation, in addition to serving as the first Board President during the incorporation process.

Our Family Advocates

Margie Bernard, Family Advocate, Wyoming County

Hellen Johnson, Family Support Provider, Pioneer Central Schools

Volunteer Coordinator

Barbara Finkney, Parent Advocate, Residential Environments Allowing Children Hope, A Division of Community Missions, Inc.

Board of Directors

Barbara Pericozzi, President

Carolyn Vujnovic, Vice President

Lucille Sherlick, Treasurer

Margaret Wright, Co-Secretary

Stephanie Orlando, Co-Secretary

Sue Hunter