Special Contributors Honored with IOL Awards
The annual Institute of Living Awards and Recognition Day was held Wednesday, June 27, in the Commons Building.
Harold I. Schwartz, MD, psychiatrist-in-chief of the Institute of Living, and Bimal Patel, president of the Hartford Region, joined other Hartford HealthCare leaders to congratulate employees who went above and beyond the call of duty in the areas of patient care, research, family support and more.
“We are truly a team, but some individuals stand out and deserve special appreciation from time to time,” said Dr. Schwartz. “It’s a great pleasure to be able to provide that recognition during this special event.”
Strawberry shortcake was served to attendees who turned out for the popular event and many honorees had the opportunity to take photos with their managers and presenters.
Throughout the ceremony, speakers introduced 16 winners in eight award categories.
The Psychiatrist-in-Chief’s Award was established by Dr. Schwartz to recognize outstanding contributions to psychiatry at the Institute of Living and Hartford Hospital. This year’s winner was James DeGiovanni, PhD, director of psychology and psychology education.
The Arne Welhaven, MD, Memorial Award is a humanitarian award that honors the outstanding accomplishments of Dr. Arne Welhaven. This year’s winner is Mallory Fergione, LCSW, a clinician working in Young Adult Services.
The Ned Graffagnino, MD, Honorary Award honors the outstanding accomplishments of Dr. Ned Graffagnino, former division chief of Child and Adolescent Psychiatric Services. It recognizes an individual employee who has demonstrated distinguished service or job performance in the areas of community-oriented work or collaborative efforts with other mental health professionals, especially in the area of training. This year’s honoree is Arthur Guerra, APRN, director of Adult Outpatient Clinic & Peripartum.
The Linda J. Stacy Service Excellence Award is given by the Family Resource Center Board to employees who have demonstrated superior understanding and compassion for the unique needs of patients’ families, and towards improving the quality of The Institute of Living’s interactions with its patients and their families. This year’s winner is Marilyn Finkelstein, LCSW, of Young Adult Services.
The Nightingale Award for Excellence in Nursing recognizes nurses who demonstrate excellence in clinical practice, leadership, scholarship or education. This year’s winner at the IOL is Paul Paseos, RN, of Donnelly 1 North.
The Dedicated to Caring Award recognizes PCAs and psych techs who support the Hartford Hospital values of integrity, safety, excellence and caring. Employees who develop collaborative working relationships with patients, families and healthcare team members and actively seek new skills that contribute to positive patient outcomes and experiences while encouraging others to learn are among those chosen for the award. This year’s honorees are Victoria Grier, PAA, of Donnelly 2 South; Ashley Dennis, PAA, of Donnelly 3 South; Jonathan Guzman, psychiatric technician, of Donnelly 1 South; and Myriam Monterroso, psychiatric technician from CARES.
The Bert Woodcock Award in Nursing Education was awarded to Cathy Chance, RN, from Donnelly 2 South.
The Connecticut Association of Private Special Education Facilities Golden Apple Award is given by the Connecticut Association of Private Special Education Facilities to school staff members within the association who have made significant contributions to their students and program. This year’s winners are Elizabeth Cappiello, student support coordinator at the Grace S. Webb School; Warren Cohen, assistant teacher at the Grace S. Webb School; Jennifer Haddock-Demers, assistant teacher at the Grace S. Webb School; Mark W. Taylor, assistant teacher at the Grace S. Webb School; Jasmine Gonzales, assistant teacher in Cheshire; and Zachary Keys, assistant teacher in Avon.
Nancy Hubbard, left, and Annetta Caplinger, right, presented the Linda J. Stacy Service Excellence Award to Marilyn Finkelstein, LCSW, from the Institute of Living’s Young Adult Services team.