Annual Report July 1, 2009 to June 30, 2010 Judge Baker Children’s Center Inspiring Possibilities NEACWCD Manville School JBCC The Baker Clinical Care Mission Statement Judge Baker Children’s Center promotes the best possible mental health of children through the integration of research, intervention, training and advocacy. BOARD OF TRUSTEES MEMBERS OF THE PROGRAM & Kathryn E. Cade CORPORATION DEPARTMENT DIRECTORS Chair Joseph D. Alviani Todd Anderson Edward E. Mullen Walter Angoff Information Technology First Vice Chairman Reginald I. Barron William R. Beardslee, MD Family Preventative Jay L. Webber Ellen R. Cohen Intervention Project Second Vice Chairman & Treasurer Lawrence B. Cohen John S. Driscoll Anthony M. Bono Verne W. Vance, Jr. Finance Clerk Edward A. Dubilo Deborah S. First Elizabeth A. Fitzsimons Deborah L. Anderson Henry Louis Gates, Jr., Ph.D. Development Carol E. Bonner Samuel G. King Janina R. Galler, MD Lisa Dabney Burrows Richard Lewis Legacy of Childhood Malnutrition Thomas W. Cornu Peter C. Nordblom James F. Prince, LICSW Robert P. Gittens Charles Ogletree, Jr. The Manville School Robert G. Holdway Marcia A. Polese Nina Rodriguez Andrew R. Knowland, Jr. Manuel Rosenberg Facilities George Macomber Richard A. Soden Phyllis Rothberg Katie Nicholson Jeffrey S. Stern Teens Achieving Mastery Over John R.A. Pears, RIBA Stress (TEAMS) Richard Weissbourd, Ph.D. Claire S. Stern Colonel Ralph Zimmerman Julie S. Springwater Dorothy A. Weber, Ed.D. New England Association of Child Grace Zimmerman John R. Weisz, Ph.D., ABPP Welfare Commissioners and Directors Rhonda Zinner Lucie E. White Rachel E. Sudikoff George C. Wilson Human Resources EXECUTIVE TEAM Claudio O. Toppelberg, MD John R. Weisz, Ph.D., ABPP Project on Language and President and CEO Child Psychiatry Stephen Schaffer Sue Woodward Chief Operating Officer Clinical Care Michele D. Urbancic Richard J. Young Vice President of Advancement Child-at-Risk Hotline Clinical Care The Baker Child-at-Risk Hotline JBCC Research • Intervention • Training • Advocacy • Through research we identify best practices. • Through intervention we bring those practices to children and families of diverse communities. • Through training we disseminate skills in research and quality care. • Through advocacy we use scientific knowledge to expand public awareness and inform public policy. December 2010 Dear Friends, Welcome to our 2010 Annual Report, “Inspiring Possibilities.” Have you ever taken a moment to think about what inspires you? What is it that makes you contemplate the future and then the steps necessary to make that future a reality? For some of us it may have been a parent, family member, coach, teacher, spiritual leader or good friend. At Judge Baker Children’s Center we are working every day to inspire the children and families who turn to us for help. Using the very best in evidence-based practices—practices with proven results that will unlock the potential of these children—we give them and their families the chance to imagine a very different future... one filled with hope, with success and with endless possibility. You are an important partner in this inspiring work. If it were not for the loyalty and support of friends and donors like you, the Baker would not be able to undertake the research that leads to new, more effective interventions or the training that makes these practices available to clinicians in community- based programs throughout New England and beyond. Every day children are learning new skills to help them realize their dreams; and every day through your generosity you touch in a remarkable way the life of a child seeking inspiration. The pages that follow share just a small sampling of all the incredible work taking place at the Baker. I encourage you to take the time to read through the text, look at the photos and see what a difference your support has made. As chair of the Board of Trustees, I have the honor and privilege of witnessing firsthand the impact we have, of hearing directly from the children and their families about how the Baker changed their lives and of working with my fellow trustees to shape the best possible future for the Baker and all those whom it serves. I hope you, too, will be inspired by what you read and perhaps even learn a little bit more about Judge Baker Children’s Center. With your continued support our possibilities are unlimited! Sincerely, Kathryn E. Cade Chair, Board of Trustees 1 Executive Summary Fiscal Year 2010 Quite a Year! n this highly eventful year, news stories about children underscored the importance of our mission at Judge Baker Children’s Center; and stories about Ithe continuing national financial turmoil highlighted the fiscal strength of the Baker that makes it possible to carry out our mission. News about Phoebe Prince, whose suicide was apparently brought on by cyber-bullying, raised concern nationwide about vulnerable children facing emo- tional distress, and about the need for effective preven- tion and treatment programs. Stories about John Odgren, convicted of first degree murder after fatally stabbing a classmate, emphasized the fact that he had been diag- based assessment and treatment services, those that nosed with multiple mental health disorders and stressed have been tested scientifically and shown to be valid and the need for effective intervention programs. Stories like effective. These services encompass children who are these remind us that our work is crucial: Helping children experiencing mental, emotional or behavioral challenges, who have serious behavioral and emotional problems and including anxiety, depression, post-traumatic stress, disrup- mental disorders is central to our mission, and has enor- tive behavior, and conduct problems. Friends of the Baker mous significance for our city, our state and our nation. will know that outpatient services were dropped years ago, as the center faced institu- tional challenges that shifted In a challenging year for non-profits and for-profits alike, our focus to other services and programs. More recently, the Baker showed itself to be resilient, resourceful and sound. we have recognized the need to return to our roots by offer- ing outpatient services once On the fiscal front, in a challenging year for non-profits again. In the array of mental health services in the Boston and for-profits alike, the Baker showed itself to be resilient, area and nationwide, our exclusive emphasis on best prac- resourceful and sound—all for the good of the children tices for children and families makes us a rare resource. and families we serve. In a nationwide context character- The community is responding. Our numbers have grown ized by layoffs, salary reductions and benefit losses, the each month since Clinical Care at Judge Baker Children’s Baker remained fiscally sound, experienced no layoffs, and Center opened its doors. For more information, please see preserved benefits and salaries. Our loyal donors continued the Baker website: www.jbcc.harvard.edu/clinicalcare.html. to support our mission, our programs and revenue sources were diversified, the Manville School had an unusually Baker Special Education and Child Protection strong year, extramural research continued to grow, and Programs. This was a terrific year, and a busy one, for we even added a new direct service clinical program that our Manville School with the largest enrollment in its is creating a buzz in the community and sparking alumni history. Some of this growth may be due to the impressive memories of “the old Judge Baker.” academic record of the school, with the most recent wave of MCAS tests for our tenth graders showing 100% pass Clinical Care at Judge Baker Children’s Center. rates in Math, Science and English/Language Arts. Consis- This new program, Clinical Care, which officially opened in tent with this record, the most recent Manville graduates April 2010, provides outpatient mental health services for transitioned to the last stage of their secondary education, children throughout the greater Boston area. A distinctive some in such premier institutions as Brookline High School feature of the new program is that it offers only evidence- and Newton North High School. The New England 2 In addition to important individual contributions from donors throughout the year, we exceeded our fund-raising goals for both the September 2009 Association of Child Welfare Commis- Rodman Ride for Kids, and the June 2010 Liberty sioners and Directors completed the first stage of its Breakthrough Series Collabora- Mutual Invitational Golf Tournament. tive project, designed to develop and test new ideas for ensuring the safety of children in the child Janina Galler, MD, continued her groundbreaking research welfare system. The project—funded by Casey Family on the impact of malnutrition on child development and Programs—moves next to an implementation phase, mental health, work that includes both animal models and putting the new ideas into practice, throughout the New a three-decades-long longitudinal study of children (who are England states. The Child-at-Risk Hotline has had an now adults) in Barbados. Baker Research Scientist Claudio unusually busy year, with a large increase in calls raising Toppelberg, MD, has begun a new project with the Norwe- concerns about child well-being and in reports filed gian government to study the impact—on mental health and (indicating that the concern was judged to warrant language development—of fully funded center-based child investigation). In this fiscal year, the Hotline staff care for children of low-income families. Baker Senior Scien- fielded over 163,000 calls which led to roughly 21,000 tist Judith Crowell, MD, and Research Scientist Dorothy reports, representing a 9% increase over FY2009. Warner, Ph.D., continue their longitudinal research study- ing the influence of adversities and social relationships on New Trustees. We were delighted to welcome development as people mature into midlife.