Department of Mental Health and Addiction Services to Address Substance Abuse in Fairfield County

Positive Directions, The Center For Prevention And Counseling, announced recently the appointment of a new Executive Director.

Basil Hero, a long-time Westport and Weston resident, is the new Executive Director, according to a release. The nonprofit prevention and counseling center also announced a new 5-year contract with DHMAS, The Department of Mental Health And Addiction Services to address substance abuse issues in the town of Fairfield.

“Our agency has played a vital role in the mental health community for more than 40 years and it has been validated by the award of the new 5-year grant from DMHAS to provide prevention education programs in Fairfield under the CT Strategic Prevention Framework Coalitions Initiative (CSC),” sadi Hero.

“ We’ll be working through the Fairfield Cares Community Coalition with town officials, educators, parents, mental health experts and local law enforcement to do a comprehensive needs assessment, which will give us a road map for developing the kinds of programs that will educate students, parents and the community to the dangers of alcohol and other drug abuse.”

Marty Hauhuth, the former Westport First Selectwoman, served as Positive Direction’s Executive Director for 24 years before Hero was appointed.

Positive Directions has focused its prevention initiatives in Westport, Wilton and Weston, however they have expanded to Fairfield in partnership with the Fairfield Cares Community Coalition.

“I can’t emphasize enough the importance of prevention education programs. They work. That’s why we’re also increasing the number of workshops for our nationally acclaimed Creating Lasting Family Connections program (CLFC), which is targeting the parents of 5th-8th graders in Fairfield, and the 3 Ws (Westport, Weston, Wilton). Those are critical transition years - from tween to teen, middle school and beyond - and our facilitators work with parents to help their children lay the foundation for resisting negative influences,” said Hero.

Positive Directions will begin offering its 6-week CLFC workshops on October 6 at its Westport location on 420 Post Road West.

Click here for the CLFC Workshop Registration.

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