ARISE Honors Donor at Library Dedication
Syracuse, NY, March 18, 2009 – When ARISE learned that the agency would be receiving a donation of books, they couldn’t have foreseen just how generous that gift would be.
Local benefactor, Maudie Ritchie, donated her entire personal library collection, over 500 books, to the ARISE Child and Family Mental Health Clinic when she retired last year. A long-time resident of the Syracuse area, Ritchie is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW–R) and is credentialed by the Academy of Certified Social Workers (ACSW).
Before retiring, Ritchie was an international certified trainer and provider of Eye Movement Desensitization Reintegration Treatment (EMDR) for trauma victims. She provided EMDR and other mental health treatment services from her private practice in Fayetteville, and has been a pioneer in the Syracuse area to teach EMDR to local clinicians.
ARISE held a dedication ceremony on Friday, March 13, to honor and thank Maudie Ritchie for her donation. The newly-dedicated library gives ARISE therapists access to research materials related to a variety of mental health topics. ARISE Clinic Director, Maryann Piazza-Toms, noted, “We are thrilled that we now have information literally at our fingertips that will assist us in serving clients and also give them easy access to materials.”
While many people think of social workers as the case workers involved in child abuse or neglect situations, professional social workers are the nation’s largest group of clinically-trained mental health specialists, and have higher education degrees that include two years of supervised field work prior to earning their degree. All ARISE clinicians have at least a Masters degree in Social Work.
In recent years, ARISE expanded its clinic staff and services, both at their James Street office and in the community, offering services at a variety of schools and community centers in Onondaga County. “We need to continue being a community partner and help the public learn about what we do,” said Piazza-Toms.