CSB Chairperson Andy Ali, Lisa Hoeschele, and Teisha Cook, Madison County Director of Community Services
The Madison County Community Services Board (CSB) has awarded the 2016 Prudy Fanning Community Service Award in the area of Mental Health to Lisa Hoeschele, Executive Director of Family Counseling Services (FCS). Hoeschele was honored at an Awards Reception held on June 16 at The Gorman Foundation in Oneida, New York.
The Community Service Award is named after Prudy Fanning, who was an advocate for countless individuals who needed support accessing mental health services. The award is presented annually to recognize an individual for outstanding volunteer service and/or performance beyond position requirements. Hoeschele was nominated for her outstanding leadership qualities and the initiatives undertaken with direct benefit to Madison County residents. Under her leadership, the agency opened a satellite location in Oneida in 2013 and has since transitioned the ADAPT chemical dependency treatment program from Madison County to FCS and initiated Mental Health clinic services which are co-located with the FCS Chemical Dependency program on Cedar Street in Oneida.
Hoeschele’s efforts led to collaboration with both DSS-CPS departments in Cortland and Madison counties that resulted in a two year grant-funded project to sponsor Behavioral Health Counselors supervised by FCS to work side-by-side with CPS Caseworkers in client’s homes. Hoeschele has worked collaboratively with DSRP partners covering the Madison area for the purpose of more comprehensive service coordination. She participates in the Madison County CSB and subcommittees both personally, and through the support of FCS Program Directors who participate.
She actively encourages FCS Program Staff to collaborate with local community services, for example Liberty Resources’ Housing programs, BRIDGES prevention efforts, Madison County Probation and Drug Court. The agency is becoming a more familiar presence in local community events, Town Hall meetings and Health Fairs.
As the Executive Director at FCS, Hoeschele has demonstrated a commitment to clinical effectiveness, continuing growth and over-all stability of the organization in order to survive in a constantly changing healthcare climate while maintaining the agency’s objectives of quality community services. “She is always seeking to ‘do what is best for the community’ and with this comes a high level of personal integrity,” said Mary Peterson, FCS Director of Clinical Services. “She brings honesty and transparency to all of our customers when handling agency challenges and when investing in a community’s treatment needs,” she added.
Andy Ali, Chairperson of the Madison County Community Services Board praised Hoeschele’s efforts to expand the services of Family Counseling Services into Madison County. “I told her my job was to put her out of business,” he shared with a smile. “But there are plenty of people out there who need help,” he continued. “The things we are talking about are rampant in every family.”
Hoeschele thanked the Community Services Board and Teisha Cook, the Madison County Director of Community Services for the recognition. “Please know that this award is a reflection of the excellence, hard work and commitment of our FCS staff,” shared Hoeschele. “I am so proud of the partnerships we have established in Madison County and the good work we are doing.”
Hoeschele has served as Executive Director of FCS since 2010. Under her leadership, the agency has experienced significant growth including the creation of school-based clinical programs beginning in 2011, merger with Cortland Prevention Resources in 2012 and expansion into Madison County in 2013. Hoeschele holds a Master’s degree in public administration from Syracuse University’s Maxwell School.