About

A Legacy of Care. A Commitment to What’s Next.

The Children’s Center of Hamden was founded on a simple but powerful idea: that every child deserves care, stability, and the opportunity to move forward.

In 1833, following a plea from a local mother known as Widow Daniels, the New Haven Orphan Asylum opened its doors to care for children in need. What began as a small home for seven children has grown and evolved over nearly two centuries.

In 1925, the organization moved to its current campus on Whitney Avenue in Hamden. As the needs of children and families have changed, so has our approach — expanding beyond residential care to become a comprehensive behavioral health organization.

Today, the Children’s Center of Hamden provides a continuum of behavioral health, psychiatric, educational, and family support services for youth across Connecticut.

For more than 190 years — we have given hope.

Our Mission

The Children’s Center of Hamden is a behavioral health organization dedicated to helping individuals of all cultural backgrounds achieve their highest level of functioning through quality treatment, education, and care.

Our Vision

We work to build the foundation for the future success of the individuals we serve.

Board of Directors

Officers

Elizabeth M. Bacon

President

Retired,

John Cuozzo, Jr.

Vice President

Owner, Press/Cuozzo Commercial Realtors, Inc.

Claudia Grantham

Secretary

Retired, North Haven Board of Education

Marcie Diggs

Treasurer

Family Nurse Practitioner, Yale New Haven Hospital

Board Members

Leslie Abbatiello

Educational Consultant

Stearns Bryant, Jr.

Attorney, Nugent and Bryant

Paul Flinter

Director of Adult Education, Wallingford Adult Ed

Krista Hart

Owner, Jet Process Corporation

Cassie Parmelee

Quinnipiac University

Donald M. Rocklin

Cardiologist

Jane Tendler

Retired HR Professional

Tomi Veale

Director of Elderly Services, City of New Haven

John Watts, CPA

Owner, John A. Watts CPA LLC

Staff

Senior Leadership

James Maffuid, LMFT

Chief Executive Officer

Ext. 202

Naomi Libby, MD

Chief Medical Officer

Ext. 269

Sarah Lockery, LMFT

Chief Operating Officer

Ext. 283

Joseph Quinn

Chief Financial Officer

Ext. 236

Jess Rivera

Principal, Whitney Hall School

Jillian Sacco, SHRM-SCP

Vice President, Human Resources

Ext. 376

Sheila Purushotham, LCSW

Vice President of Clinical Services

Ext. 344

Directors

Lisa Ciaffaglione

Nursing

Gina Connolly

Clinical Services

Susan Crossley

Finance

Gary Cruz

Facilities

Shanice Johnson

Casa Rios Program

Erin McNelf

Outpatient Service

Aparna Ray Sharma

Human Resources

Tracie Vigliotti

PRTF Program

Homer Webb

Information Technology