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Doug Clement

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The Litchfield Prevention Council participated in the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention’s Litchfield County Out of the Darkness Community Walk, held Oct. 25 at The White Memorial Conservation Center.

Prevention Council Participated in Oct. 25 Suicide Prevention Walk

The Litchfield Prevention Council participated in the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention’s Litchfield County Out of the Darkness Community Walk, held Oct. 25 at The White Memorial Conservation Center.

“A huge thank you to you and the Litchfield Prevention Council for both [having a table] at the 3rd Annual AFSP OOTD walk … and for the most generous donation. You have supported us for the past three years and we really appreciate it,” Janet Dember, Team Captain for the local walk, wrote in an email to Prevention Council Chair Gary Waugh.

Janet said there were more than 150 registered walkers and participants raised just shy of $45,000. 

The Litchfield County walk is among many taking place around the country, with hundreds of thousands of people walking in the Out of the Darkness Community Walks to prevent suicide and support AFSP’s mission to save lives and bring hope to those affected by suicide.

Learn more about the AFSP walks: afsp.org/walks

The Litchfield Prevention Council participated in the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention’s Litchfield County Out of the Darkness Community Walk, held Oct. 25 at The White Memorial Conservation Center.

Dr. Bob & Gizmo are Litchfield Prevention Council scarecrows in the 2025 Litchfield Historical Society's Scarecrows in the Meadow display.

Meet Dr. Bob & Gizmo, They’re Scarecrows on a Mission

The Litchfield Historical Society‘s 6th Annual Scarecrows in the Meadow display opened for the season Oct. 18 and Dr. Bob and Gizmo were among the nearly 60 handcrafted scarecrows that were there to greet guests.
Dr. Bob, a child and adolescent psychologist, and Gizmo, a mental health therapy dog, are the scarecrow ambassadors of the Litchfield Prevention Council.
“Together they are encouraging us to take care of our mental health, which impacts how we feel, think and act,” the placard in the Tapping Reeve Meadow describing Dr. Bob and Gizmo explains. “Sometimes we all feel sad, mad, or worried and this affects how we behave. We might have less energy, find it hard to sleep, and want to be alone a lot.”
The description continues:
Dr. Bob & Gizmo are Litchfield Prevention Council scarecrows in the 2025 Litchfield Historical Society's Scarecrows in the Meadow display.
Gizmo’s House, above, and Prevention Council Chair Gary Waugh with Dr. Bob and Gizmo, top photo.
The Good News is there are many things we can do to take care of our mental health, such as participating in activities with people we love and trust. See the many suggestions listed on the top of Gizmo’s house.
Doctor Bob and Gizmo want each of us to plan to actively care for our mental health. TAKE ONE of Gizmo’s worksheets from the envelope on the side of his house and begin to plan how to best live your own healthy and happy life.
Doctor Bob and Gizmo work with their friends on the Lichfield Prevention Council to bring pro-active mental health programs to our schools and the wider communities. Expect to see Gizmo in our schools this coming year. Please check out our website https://litchfieldprevention.org and our Facebook page to see our upcoming events or scan the QR code shown below. Please join us in our efforts.
Dr. Bob is a relative of last year’s Prevention Council scarecrow, Chef Bob, who shared with visitors his mission of developing recipes for a healthy lifestyle and said, “I’m interested in knowing about how you take care of your mental and physical health; what ingredients go into a healthy and happy life for you?”
The scarecrows in the Tapping Reeve Meadow will remain on view every day, from dawn to dusk, through Nov. 2, and visitors can vote for their favorites. Awards are given at the end of the season.
The Tapping Reeve Meadow is located at 82 South Street behind the Tapping Reeve House and Litchfield Law School museums. To learn more about the historical society, its museums, and its many programs, see the website. www.litchfieldhistoricalsociety.org
The 2025 Litchfield Historical Society's Scarecrows in the Meadow display.
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Middle School Cell Phone & Social Media Safety Presentations

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Plumb Hill Middle School in the Region 20 school district (Litchfield, Warren, Morris & Goshen) was pleased to host Officer Rich Marsh in mid-October for a series of educational presentations on cell phone and social media safety, made possible through the generous support of the Litchfield Prevention Council.

Officer Marsh provided an evening presentation for parents and guardians, focusing on proactive approaches to digital safety. Topics included:

  • How to implement and monitor cell phone safety protections and privacy settings;
  • Guidance for navigating popular apps safely;
  • Recognizing potential dangers of social media use; and
  • Strategies for open communication between parents and children to encourage responsible technology habits.

In addition to the parent session, Officer Marsh met individually with each grade level of students during the school day. These student-focused sessions emphasized:

  • Safe and appropriate use of phones and digital platforms;
  • Understanding the permanence of online actions;
  • Recognizing risks such as oversharing, cyberbullying, and online exploitation; and
  • Steps to take if a student encounters unsafe or inappropriate content online.

Through these presentations, students and families gained valuable tools for maintaining safety, balance, and awareness in today’s digital world. Plumb Hill Middle School extends its appreciation to the Litchfield Prevention Council for sponsoring this meaningful and impactful learning opportunity for our school community.

To learn more about the work of the Litchfield Prevention Council, join us at one of our meetings, held on the second Tuesday of every month at 7 p.m. at the Bantam Annex, or reach out through the website contact form.

 

Vaping program in Litchfield, Connecticut Oct. 16 at Oliver Wolcott Library

Protecting Youth From The Harms Of Vaping

The Litchfield Prevention Council and Oliver Wolcott Library are co-sponsoring an event at the library Oct. 16 entitled Protecting Youth From The Harms Of Vaping.

Guests may attend in person or on Zoom, and registration is required in part because pizza will be served for those attending in-person and organizers need to now how much to order.

Register here for the 6 p.m. program. For those who plan to attend on Zoom, click here at 6 p.m. on Oct. 16

In the program, the Western CT Coalition’s Kathy Hanley and Chelsea Kapitancek will be sharing their prevention expertise to inform community members about the background, current climate, concerns, and hopeful future outcomes of underage nicotine and cannabis use prevention.

At this talk participants will:

•  Gain an understanding of the effects of nicotine, cannabis, and vaping on the body and developing brain.

•  Review local and statewide data around underage nicotine and cannabis use.

•  Analyze tactics used by the tobacco and cannabis industries.

•  Learn about evidence-based prevention strategies and how to facilitate them within their community.

•  Understand how to practice productive conversations with youth about nicotine and cannabis use.

Flippenout Trampoline Show

Join Us Aug. 14 for a Fun Wrap-Up to Summer

Bring the family and join us this Thursday, Aug. 14, for a fun wrap-up to summer presented by Litchfield CT Park & Recreation and sponsored by the Litchfield Prevention Council and others.

The Flippenout Trampoline Show will feature world class athletes performing an extreme trampoline show filled with stunts, backed by a great soundtrack, and kicked up a notch with charismatic jokes and commentary.

The free one-hour show takes place from 6 to 7 p.m. at Litchfield Community Field. There will be food trucks on hand, and an ice cream truck.

The event page is here: http://bit.ly/3JtsOQL

The Screenage Survival Kit for Parents/Caregivers panel discussion on May 27 at Oliver Wolcott Library (OWL) featured a lively discussion between the panel and the audience of approximately 25 in-person attendees and others on Zoom.

Panel Discussion: A Screenage Survival Kit for Parents/Caregivers

The Screenage Survival Kit for Parents/Caregivers panel discussion on May 27 at Oliver Wolcott Library (OWL) featured a lively discussion between the panel and the audience of approximately 25 in-person attendees and others on Zoom.

Caroline Wilcox Urgulu, the Early Literacy and Library Curation Specialist at OWL
Caroline Wilcox Urgulu, the Early Literacy and Library Curation Specialist at OWL

The Litchfield Prevention Council, Litchfield PTO, and OWL co-sponsored the event. Discussion was facilitated by Caroline Wilcox Urgulu, the Early Literacy and Library Curation Specialist at OWL.

The discussion focused on gaining the tools and support to navigate the turbulent waters of screen use and addiction, and the panelists for the evening were pediatricians Kate Litwin and Lucia Benzoni and social worker Sarah Bolton.

“The parents came away with practical advice about managing their children’s exposure to social media,” Prevention Council chair Gary Waugh said. “There was a consensus that the entire community needed to take responsibility for keeping our children safe on the internet.”

 

More on the panelists:

Kate Litwin has practiced as a general pediatrician at Rocky Hill Pediatrics for more than 18 years. At work, she routinely counsels parents and patients regarding digital media use. At home, she is the mother of two teenagers and has, like most parents, struggled to set and enforce boundaries at the various stages of child and adolescent development. She has a particular interest in teen mental health and cares for many patients with anxiety, depression, ADHD and eating disorders.

Dr. Lucia Benzoni works in Bristol as a Pediatrician and has 34 years of experience. She lives in Litchfield and is married with five children. A lover of the outdoors, Dr. Benzoni finds joy in engaging in activities like gardening, hiking, and biking. “The struggle is real …. I went from having children that are older that did not have constant access to screens to my youngest child who had constant access.”

Sarah Bolton was born and raised in Woodbury. After graduating from Villanova University, she served a year in the Americorps program in Washington D.C., working for a non-profit agency that encourages adults experiencing homelessness to identify and achieve next steps in their lives. She then lived in New York City and New Haven, continuing her career in public service working for the City of New York and then the State of CT. She eventually made her way back to Litchfield County, settling in Litchfield ten years ago. She obtained her master’s degree in social work from UConn in 2012 and has been working as a school social worker since 2013. Sarah, her husband Jay, and their two children enjoy being involved in the community.

Screenagers

May 27 Event to Promote Positive Screen Use and a Play-Based Childhood

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The Litchfield Prevention Council, Litchfield PTO, and the Oliver Wolcott Library  (OWL) are presenting part three in a series of events to promote positive screen use and a play-based childhood on May 27, from 6 to 7:30 p.m., at OWL.
 
The panel discussion will help guests gain the tools and support to navigate the turbulent waters of screen use and addiction. Those planning to attend are asked to register here so organizers can prepare.
 
Pizza will be served and activities will be available for kids guided by Miss Tricia.
 

More About the May 27 Discussion

How do parents/caregivers get help with managing screen use? Who can we turn to when things are feeling out of balance or out of control? Is screen use really an issue to be concerned about or is it overblown? Are there trends that we should be aware of happening in our community? All of these questions and more will be addressed by a panel which includes pediatricians, school social workers and other experts. Come with your questions/concerns and we will work toward solutions together.

Meet our Panelists:

Kate Litwin has practiced as a general pediatrician at Rocky Hill Pediatrics for more than 18 years.  At work, she routinely counsels parents and patients regarding digital media use.  At home, she is the mother of two teenagers and has, like most parents, struggled to set and enforce boundaries at the various stages of child and adolescent development.  She has a particular interest in teen mental health and cares for many patients with anxiety, depression, ADHD and eating disorders.

Dr. Lucia Benzoni works in Bristol as a Pediatrician and has 34 years of experience. She lives in Litchfield and is married with five children. A lover of the outdoors, Dr. Benzoni finds joy in engaging in activities like gardening, hiking, and biking. “The struggle is real …. I went from having children that are older that did not have constant access to screens to my youngest child who had constant access.”

Sarah Bolton was born and raised in Woodbury. After graduating from Villanova University, she served a year in the Americorps program in Washington D.C., working for a non-profit agency that encourages adults experiencing homelessness to identify and achieve next steps in their lives. She then lived in New York City and New Haven, continuing her career in public service working for the City of New York and then the State of CT. She eventually made her way back to Litchfield County, settling in Litchfield ten years ago. She obtained her master’s degree in social work from UConn in 2012 and has been working as a school social worker since 2013. Sarah, her husband Jay, and their two children enjoy being involved in the community.
 
The Oliver Wolcott Library is located at 160 South St. in Litchfield center.
screenagers
 
Jessica A. Grant

Jessica Grant of Prima Wellness Joins Litchfield Prevention Council

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Jessica A. Grant, the founder of Prima Wellness, a mental health practice and healing space located in the West Street Yard, has joined the Litchfield Prevention Council and attended her first official meeting in March.

Jessica brings nationally recognized leadership in the domains of mental health and integrative wellness as a licensed psychotherapist, clinical researcher, ayurvedic practitioner, and community herbalist.

She served in a director role within Yale University’s School of Medicine for nearly a decade prior to departing for full-time private practice and consultation work. With over 22 years of clinical experience, Jessica has extensive expertise in the arena of PTSD treatment, neuroscience, and evidence-based practice.

Jessica is deeply passionate about integrating the indigenous wisdom of ecomedicine, eastern philosophy, somatic sciences, and plant psychology as powerful healing alchemists.

She spends much of her time in the Blue Ridge Mountains of North Carolina, where she supports the cultivation of endangered field and forest botanicals, and shares a deep love for animals with her ever-growing rescue fur family

Her path to joining the Litchfield Prevention Council began when she met council Chair Gary Waugh at the suicide prevention walk at the White Memorial Conservation Center in the summer of 2024.

She was there to support Prima Wellness clients and family members who have personal experiences linked to suicide. The Prevention Council shared a video she made at the event on its Facebook page.

Together they decided Jessica would be a great fit for the council, given her experience with prevention work in the realm of forensic mental health, and in providing training for those using the Columbia-Suicide Severity Rating Scale (C-SSRS), an evidence-based model for assessing suicide risk as part of a prevention protocol.

She also played a role in the implementation of various empirical modalities including Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) in the Connecticut juvenile justice system. DBT is a cognitive-behavioral treatment approach whose goal is to help individuals manage difficult emotions, improve interpersonal relationships, and enhance coping skills. 

“Jessica is a wonderful addition to the Litchfield Prevention Council,” Gary Waugh said. “She adds expertise and experience to our focus of reaching and connecting with students and young people to help guide their grown in positive directions.”

To learn more about Jessica Grant, see her Prima Wellness website. 

Litchfield Wellness Festival Coming in July

Jessica Grant is also part of the group planning the Litchfield Wellness Festival, which will take place July 5 at Litchfield Community Field and July 6 at the White Memorial Conservation Center and other locations (Stay tuned for the full program.)

The festival will host featured presenters, classes, and vendors in wellness categories including physical and mental health, yoga, movement and fitness, holistic healing, nutrition, herbalism, healthy living, and natural beauty. 

In addition to Prima Wellness and Litchfield Park & Recreation, some of the participants and sponsors signed up include Charym Yoga, NKYV Rituals, Kula Collective, Sanctuary Power Yoga, Ageless by Nature, ACE Hardware, Litchfield Health & Wellness Resources, and Litchfield Magazine.

See the Litchfield Wellness Festival website to learn more and for updates.

The Harlem Wizards at Lakeview High School March 17, 2025.

Prevention Councils Sponsored Harlem Wizards at Lakeview High School

The Litchfield Prevention Council joined with the Wamogo Wellness and Prevention Council and other sponsors to present the Harlem Wizards at Lakeview High School on March 17 for a Lakeview PTO fundraiser.

Litchfield Prevention Council Chair Gary Waugh welcomed guests to the sold-out game that featured the Region 20 Lucky ‘Cats (teachers and staff) taking on the Wizards.

Together with our colleagues on the Wamogo Prevention Council we are proud to be sponsoring tonight’s event. We choose the theme “Growing Together, One Choice at a Time” because it is reflective of the work we do. We want to bring all aspects of our communities together to help us achieve our goal of keeping our children safe. Towards this end, we offer informative programs that encourage good choices and warn against risky ones. We work closely with both parents and educators to deliver our message. We hope you join us in our efforts to “keep our kids safe.” Enjoy the game!

In a post on Instagram, the Lakeview PTO thanked everyone in Region 20 and the Harlem Wizards for supporting the new PTO. “We filled the den and came together as one community for an amazing night,” the post said. “We couldn’t have done it without all of you!”

Lakeview High School is located in the former Wamogo High School as part of Litchfield public schools and Region 6 schools (Morris, Warren, and Goshen) merging to become Region 20.

 

Sreenagers presented April 29 by the Litchfield Prevention Council

Join Us for ‘Screenagers’ at Oliver Wolcott Library

Please join the Litchfield Prevention Council, the Litchfield PTO – CT, and the Oliver Wolcott Library for a viewing of the film “Screenagers,” the elementary school age edition of Screenagers Movies at OWL on April 29.
 
We are partnering to continue the conversation about screen use and its effect on our youth. Come and learn the latest research as well as what we can do to ensure play-based childhood in our community.
 
The 6 p.m. program is open to all community members, who are asked to register to attend using the link on the event listing page: https://www.owlibrary.org/adult-events.aspx…
 
OWL will offer a story time for children during the screening and discussion and pizza will be available for both children and adults!

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Join Us for ‘Screenagers’ at Oliver Wolcott Library

The Litchfield Prevention Council provides information, training, and resources that encourage our community members to adopt healthy lifestyles, positive choices, and personal responsibility.

Our Partners in Prevention

Western Connecticut Coalition
Connecticut Clearinghouse