Patient & visitor information

Yale-New Haven Support Groups

Yale-New Haven social workers, and in some cases nurses, facilitate the following support groups for patients and their families. E-mail the department of Social Work for more information about support groups.

Cancer

• Brain Tumor Support Group
  Contact: Angela Thomas, LCSW (203) 688-7528; or Betsy D’Andrea, RN (203) 737-1671
• Caregivers Support Group
  Contact:Val Walton, RN (203) 688-5559
• Head and Neck Cancer Support Group
  Contact: Mary Crooks, LCSW (203) 688-4183; or Shelley Jolie, RN (203) 785-6520
• Lung Cancer Support Group
  Contact: Irene Scanlon, LCSW (203) 688-3218; or
  Linda David, RN (203) 688-5864
• Metastatic Melanoma Support Group
  Contact: Nora Rightmer, LCSW (203) 688-9386
• Multiple Myeloma Support Group
  Contact: Nora Rightmer, LCSW (203) 688-9386; or
  Diane Dirzius, RN (203) 785-7938
• Prostate Cancer Support Group
  Contact: Nora Rightmer, LCSW (203) 688-9386; or
  Susanne Lee, LCSW (203) 200-2120
• Stem Cell Transplant Support Group
  Contact: Mary Crooks, LCSW (203) 688-4183
• Patient and Family Support Group
  (Smilow Cancer Hospital)
  Contact: Susanne Lee, LCSW (203) 200-2120
• Patient and Family Support Group
  (Shoreline Medical Center)
  Contact: Carol Ridolfi, RN, (203) 453-7208
  
  
  

CPAP (for sleep apnea)

• CPAP Support Group - A Continuous Postive Air Pressure (CPAP) support group offering health awareness information to adults with sleep apnea is now forming. Family members are also welcome. The group will provide an interactive forum for exchanging information, education on sleep disorders and review of new and old CPAP equipment. Each meeting will be attended by board-certified sleep specialists and staff from Yale Sleep Medicine. Refreshments will be provided. Meeting locations are in Norwich and at the Yale-New Haven Shoreline Medical Center. Call 203-764-6788 for information.

Diabetes

• Diabetes Support Group- Call for schedule; Children’s Hospital Room 291; Contact: Sylvia Lavietes, LCSW, (203) 688-2319

Gastric bypass

• Gastric Bypass Support Group- 1st Tuesday of every month; 6-8 pm; East Pavilion Max Taffel Rooms A-D; Contact: Yale University Section of Gastrointestinal Surgery, (203) 764-9060

Grief & bereavement

• Newborn Special Care Bereavement Group- 2nd Monday of every month; 2 pm; Children's Hospital 4th Floor; Contact: Susanne Clark, LCSW, (203) 688-2316
• Pediatric Oncology Parents Bereavement Group- Call for schedule and location; Contact: Connie Nicolosi, LCSW, (203) 688-7519
• Fact sheet—Common Reactions to Trauma, Grief and Bereavement

Heart disease

• Preoperative Education Group- Every Monday and Thursday; 1-2 pm; East Pavilion 4-7 Solarium; Contact: Irene Scanlon, LCSW, (203) 688-3218
• Heart Transplant Support Group- Every other Tuesday; 2-3:30 pm; Children's Hospital; or Every other Thursday; 7-8:30 pm; Max Taffel Room; Contact: Dorene Scolnic, MSW, (203) 688-6160
• Congenital Heart Defects Support Group- First Monday of each month; 6 pm; Max Taffel Room located off the main atrium. Contact: Jeanne Imperati, (203) 234-1371, or Erin Ross, (203) 214-0384, or Andy Szocs, (203) 494-7672, or Marion Andrews, (203) 376-6772.

Hospital adjustment

• Primary Care Educational Waiting Room Session- 2nd and 4th Thursday of every month; 10:30-11:30 am; Primary Care Waiting Room; Contact: Fannie Hardy, LCSW, (203) 688-6124, or Ellen Doram , LCSW, (203) 688-3373

Mental illness

• Depression Support Group- Every Tuesday; 2-3 pm; Primary Care Center; Contact: Anna Martin, BSW, (203) 688-6124

Parenting

• Nurturing Program- For parents of children ages 0 to 5 years old; Topics discussed: discipline, injury prevention and age appropriate expectations; Weekly, Call for schedule; Contact: Debbie Weinstein, (203) 688-6158
• Nurturing Parent Support Group
  Parenting is a learned skill. The goal of the Nurturing Parenting group is positive parenting and to teach parents nurturing skills through education and parent-child activities. A theurapetic, educational children's group for the children of the participants is held at the same time.
  

Download more information (pdf; 433KB) about the program or contact the Department of Social Work, (203) 688-2195.

You will need Adobe Acrobat Reader installed in order to read the pdf file.





• Nurturing families home visiting
  A free home visitation program that helps support first-time parents to meet the challenges of parenthood, create a safe environment for their child and learn positive parenting skills.

  Download more information (pdf; 417KB) on this program or contact the Department of Social Work, (203) 688-2195.

  
  
• Nurturing connections
  A program to help new mothers cope with the added responsibilites of parenthood.

  Download more information (pdf; 417KB) on this program or contact the Department of Social Work, (203) 688-2195.

Teens

Programs offered at the following schools:

• Branford High School, Contact: Susan Sacchetti, LCSW, (203) 315-6727
• Hillhouse High School, Contact: Onya Harris, LCSW, (203) 946-8555
• Career High School, Contact: Maria Silva, LCSW, (203) 946-2261
• Sheridan Middle School, Contact: Lori Burns-Galdenzi, LCSW, (203) 946-6606
• Branford Middle School, Contact: Phyllis Boretsy, LCSW, (203) 484-1500

Support groups are developed based on the needs of the students. Programs conducted through the School-Based Health Center:

• Anger Management
• Divorce
• Drop-Out Prevention
• Parent Support
• Peer Support
• Self-Esteem
• Social Skills
• Stress Management
• Teen Issues

Transplantation

• Heart Transplant Support Group- Every other Thursday; 7-8:30 pm; Max Taffel Room; or First Tuesday of every month; 2-3:30 pm; Children’s Hospital; Contact: Dorene Scolnic, MSW, (203) 688-6160
• Kidney/Liver/Pancreas Support Group (Recipients, donors and family may attend)- 2nd and 4th Wednesday of every month; 5:30-7 pm; East Pavillion, 10th Floor, Room 841; Contact: Julie Arnone, LCSW, (203) 688-7307
• Stem Cell Transplant Support Group- 2nd Monday of every month; 5 pm; Children’s Hospital Room 201; Contact: Nancy Edgington, LCSW, (203) 688-3222

Women's issues

• Women with Cancer Support Group- 1st and 3rd Thursday of every month; noon-1:30 pm; Yale Cancer Center Room 208; Contact: Pat Scholl, LCSW, (203) 688-5962
• Bright Beginnings Mentor Support Group- Provides support during mentoring experience with young mothers; 1st Tuesday of every month; noon-1 pm; Children's Hospital 11th floor conference room; or 4th Wednesday of every month; 5:30-6:30 pm; Children's Hospital Room 201; Contact: Anita Bonilla, BSW, (203) 688-8165

Online resources for support

• Hygeia...An Online Journal for Pregnancy and Neonatal Loss created by a member of the Yale-New Haven medical staff. Offers poetry, journal articles, visitors' contributions, resources and a "grieving and sharing" area for registered users.
• The Cove Center for Grieving Children is a support program for children and families who have experienced the death of a parent or sibling. The Cove offers support groups in seven communities in Connecticut.
  
  

What Do I Do Now?

Other support groups meeting in southern Connecticut

Many groups of individuals who share a common medical diagnosis meet on a regular basis to educate and encourage group members. These groups are always evolving. For the most up-to-date information about groups meeting in southern Connecticut, please contact Infoline by calling toll-free 211.

The Witness Project is a community-based breast and cervical cancer education program for African American women.

Last revised: February 24, 2010 (jy)

Home page URL: http://www.ynhh.org

All information is intended for your general knowledge and is not a substitute for medical advice or treatment for specific medical conditions. You should seek prompt medical care for any specific health issues and consult your physician before starting a new fitness regimen.