Youth bureau has new chief

FALLS VILLAGE —The Housatonic Youth Service Bureau announced the appointment of Laurie Collins as its new executive director.

Collins brings more than 10 years of experience as a senior manager in health and developmental services and has a demonstrated passion for collaboration with families, community partners and stakeholders in providing care.

Her strong management and business backgrounds, coupled with her deep understanding of the emotional challenges faced by young people, make her the ideal leader for HYSB as it continues to meet the behavioral health needs of families in the northwest corner.

“Laurie has devoted her career to improving the lives of youth and supporting their families,” said Nancy D. Bird, chairwoman of the HYSB board of directors. “She has demonstrated stellar development and management skills in her prior positions. But, perhaps most important, everyone who met Laurie knew instantly that she was the right person for this important position.”

Collins, who worked in various senior management positions throughout her career in Ontario, Canada, returned to her hometown in Torrington. She comes to HYSB from a position as director of disability services at JVS Toronto, where she provided leadership and oversight for day support and employment programs for people with disabilities. She was manager, patient experience at the Central Local Health Integration Network, supporting initiatives to better resolve patient complaints, and spent eight years as clinical manager and then director of the Geneva Center for Autism, providing guidance, analyzing community needs and designing group services and programs for children, youth and adults.

Collins has a baccalaureate degree in health administration with a major in health services management from Ryerson University and a registered practical nursing degree.

“HYSB is very grateful to Rebecca Sakl, the organization’s director of clinical services, who stepped in and did an excellent job as acting executive director during the search of a new director,” members said in a statement. Sakl will return to her clinical position when Collins starts on Aug. 20.

Founded in 1991, HYSB is a nonprofit organization that exists to strengthen the emotional health of youth and families in the Region 1 school district. It provides free behavioral health services and empowerment programs in partnership with public schools, local organizations, donors and volunteers.

For information, go to www.hysb.org.