Day Treatment Services Cedar House is a continuing day treatment program using a psycho-social clubhouse model. Day Treatment services provide socialization and prevocational services to Madison County residents with severe mental illness. Members may be returning to the community from long or repeated stays in psychiatric hospitals or may attend in order to prevent hospitalization. Cedar House, based in a warm, supportive environment, has prevocational units in restaurant skills, report writing, clerical skills, and building and grounds maintenance. These are the first steps towards obtaining jobs in the community. Training in household budgeting, assertiveness, and other social skills enable members to function more productively, as do recreational and cultural activities. In addition to a work ordered day, Cedar House provides a ten week vocational program that helps those individuals who are ready to explore the world of work, or learn job skills necessary to return to, or begin employment. Cedar House provides a track for individuals who have co-occurring disorders of substance abuse and mental health. The program provides individual, family, and group treatment when indicated; coordination with other social and vocational agencies; and a medication clinic.
Cedar House is a continuing day treatment program located in the city of Oneida in Central New York's Madison County. Cedar House first began in 1974 and took its present program form in 1997. It was a shared program of Hutchings Psychiatric Center (Syracuse, NY) and the Madison County Mental Health Dept. (MCMH) In July 2009, it terminated it connection with MCMH. It is now being overseen by the administrative capacity of Consumer Services of Madison County, Inc., a not-for-profit agency. Staffed by social workers, a community mental health nurse, social work assistants, clinical director, consulting psychiatrist and office manager, Cedar House aims to serve residents of Madison County with severe and persistent mental illness who have difficulty functioning in social and vocational roles. Some members also have a co-occurring substance abuse/ dependence problems. In addition, many members have spent lengthy period of time in psychiatric hospitals.
The Cedar House program is aimed at emphasizing the strengths and health aspects of members and strives to create a warm and supportive milieu. Group therapy is the main vehicle for growth and change and traditional individual therapy with staff is deemphasized.
Mission Statement: To help people who have a psychiatric diagnosis to increase their level of functioning so that they are successful and satisfied in the environment of their choice and with the least amount of on-going professional intervention.
Provides the following services:
Staff:
Sandy Madaio, CASAC - Program Director
Mary vanLieshout, RN - Community Mental Health Nurse
Kara Andrae, LMSW - Clinical Social Worker
Darcey Simmons, LMSW/ CASAC-T - Clinical Social Worker
Ellen Caswell, Assoc. Psychology - Therapy Aide
Gene Pietromonica, MSW - Therapy Aide
Richard Giaccio, M.D. - Consulting Psychiatrist