News Archive

CSI’s Santa Barbara Day Reporting Center (SB DRC) has established a promising collaborative relationship with Santa Barbara City College (SBCC). SBCC’s Extended Opportunities Programs and Services Department has been operating a summer bridge program (Transitions) for students involved in the criminal justice system to prepare them to enter college in the fall.   This summer,…

Written by Sue Gunderman, STRIDE Program   The Greater Hartford Reentry Council and the Chrysalis Center, Inc. held the 6th Annual Greater Hartford Reentry Employment and Resource Fair and Employer Breakfast Symposium on Tuesday, March 7, 2017 at the Hartford Marriott Downtown. This event was supported by the Hartford Foundation for Public Giving. Prior to…

On Friday, December 2nd, 2016, CSI staff of the Alternative in the Community (AIC) programs were honored at the biannual Quality Assurance Forum held by the Connecticut Judicial Branch’s Court Support Services Division (JBCSSD). The ceremony took place at Central Connecticut State University’s (CCSU) Institute of Technology and Business Development building in New Britain, CT.…

Last month, in the course of a court proceeding involving a Danbury Alternative in the Community (DAIC) client, the staff at CSI’s DAIC were recognized through a written thank-you note from Judge Danaher of Superior Court, Judicial District of Litchfield, due to praise received from a CSI client who acknowledged and expressed deep gratitude to…

Written by Pat McGraw Though addiction is a risk we all experience, certain traits predispose some to addiction more than others. When your family has a history of addiction, knowing the risk factors can help prevent the vicious cycle. It can also be useful in preventing addiction early on when you recognize your child may…

Insight Article by Jillian Lombardi Significant national attention has been drawn to a local response to the widespread problem of opioid addiction and the rising numbers of opioid overdoses. In June of 2015, Gloucester, Massachusetts Police Chief Leonard Campanello began the Angel program by initiating a public post on Facebook to give addicts a chance…

#PeopleMatter March On Wednesday March, 16th, over 500 representatives from nonprofit organizations gathered in support of the CT Nonprofit Alliance at the Connecticut Legislative Office Building (LOB) and marched to Hartford’s Capitol building to protest against the pending budget cuts to the nonprofit sector during Nonprofit Lobby Day. Lobby Day started with participants congregating in…

Inspiring the Language Department of Newtown High School On February 10th, Danbury’s Alternative in the Community (AIC) Spanish Speaking Intervention Specialist, Consuelo Brown, spoke throughout three class periods at Newtown High School during the language department’s “World Language Beyond the Classroom Day”. Newtown High School has a School to Career program that assists the coordination…

Nonprofit Team Up December 18th was a thrilling day for Community Solution, Inc.’s (CSI) Norwich and New London AIC (Alternative in the Community) clients – just in time for the gift giving holiday. Over 90 children of our AIC clients received toys from a Gift Giveaway event, due to CSI’s fortunate working relationship with Career…

Seventy percent of youth in juvenile justice systems have at least one mental health condition and at least 20 percent live with a severe mental illness, according to a report by The National Center for Mental Health and Juvenile Justice. Multisystemic Therapy® (MST®), an intensive family- and community-based treatment program, has been proven to keep…

Several clients and staff members of CSI’s Silliman and Johnson Women’s and Children’s Program were honored to participate in the Connecticut Community for Addiction Recovery (CCAR) Recovery Walk, held on September 18th in downtown Hartford. Alice Formeister, the Program Director of Silliman and Johnson, which opened in 2014, gave a synopsis of the event. On…

On Thursday, September 17th, 2015, the Fifth Annual Greater Hartford Reentry Employment and Resource Fair was held at the Marriott Hotel in downtown Hartford. The fair, part of a collaboration between Chrysalis Center, Inc., and the Greater Hartford Reentry Council, was created to provide an incredible opportunity for Connecticut’s formerly incarcerated men and women to…

On May 3, 2015, Program Director Michael Beaudry recommended seven residents of Cheyney House (to the STARR-T2W2 (Training to Work 2) program. STARR-T2W2 is a Hartford-based collaborative funded by the U.S. Department of Labor’s Employment and Training Administration and the Hartford Foundation for Public Giving. STARR-T2W2 training encompasses industry-recognized credentials, assisting participants with embarking on…

On August 12th and 13th, 2015, CSI’s Santa Maria and Santa Barbara Day Reporting Centers held their fifth annual client graduation ceremonies. The graduations were well-attended and well-publicized, receiving positive press from a number of sources. Articles about the graduations were featured in several prominent news outlets, including the Santa Barbara Independent, the Santa Maria…

This is the second of a two-part series highlighting internal promotion, longevity, and staff achivement at CSI. While CSI is proud of its achievements, its record of employee longevity demonstrates the strong team culture and enthusiasm present company-wide. Having employees who have been part of CSI’s history and growth is of tremendous value to the…

Community Solutions, Inc. has seen numerous employees achieve multiple promotions during the agency’s fifty-two year history. While CSI has repeatedly benefitted from hiring external candidates, internal promotions have been a key component of the agency’s success. Internally-promoted staff have built relationships with stakeholders, community members, and clients; and bring a valuable familiarity with agency policies…

After twelve years in Windsor, Connecticut, CSI has moved the agency’s administrative headquarters to 340 West Newberry Road in Bloomfield. The new office, part of the Griffin Center business park, is located less than a mile away from the previous headquarters. The move to a larger space represents CSI’s significant growth and development over the…

On Tuesday, June 9th, 2015, the Chase Center received a visit from United States Federal Judge Victor Bolden. The Chase Center, located in Waterbury, CT, provides residential reentry work release services to male clients, as well as home confinement and community court services. The Chase Center is funded by the Connecticut Department of Correction and…

A State in Turmoil While crime in the United States has declined steadily since the early 1990s, a handful of states have had marked trouble in recent years. While places such as Louisiana, Florida, and Texas receive the lion’s share of media coverage, some remain overlooked, including the nation’s first state, Delaware. Poverty, drug addiction…

On Wednesday, May 6th, 2015, CSI’s Alternative in the Community (AIC) staff were honored at the quarterly Quality Assurance Forum held by the Judicial Branch Court Support Services Division. The ceremony began with opening remarks made by Lisa Brandes, CSI’s Director of Training, QA, and HR. She announced that this was her last QA Forum,…

In July 2010, Community Solutions, Inc. (CSI) branched out to California, opening Day Reporting Centers in Santa Barbara and Santa Maria. Since that time, CSI has expanded its reach in the Golden State, providing Day Reporting Center services to Santa Barbara County Probation clients beginning in 2011 and opening a Case Management program in Ventura…

Community Solutions, Inc. would like to recognize the Bridgeport Reentry Collaborative’s fourth annual Reentry Awards Ceremony, which was held on Friday, March 27, 2015. CSI’s Bridgeport AIC (BAIC) was well-represented at the ceremony, with three staff members and three clients receiving awards for their outstanding work and accomplishments. BAIC Program Director Verla Michel and Assistant…

In July 2014, Community Solutions, Inc. opened the William and Faith Sullivan Center, a 27-bed program funded by the Connecticut Department of Correction (DOC). The Sullivan Center provides residential re-entry work release for adult men, with an emphasis on helping clients obtain full-time employment while meeting self-sufficiency and family reunification goals. While at the Sullivan…