FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Media Contacts:
Maureen Mack, Director of Media Relations, Medical College of Wisconsin, (414) 955-4744, (414) 750-5266
Gerry Steele, Media Specialist, Children’s Hospital of Wisconsin, (414) 266-5420
Children’s Hospital of Wisconsin and the Medical College of Wisconsin announce $3 million gift from the Kelben Foundation to address community mental health needs
MILWAUKEE (12/11/2014) – Children’s Hospital of Wisconsin and the Medical College of Wisconsin (MCW) announced a new $3 million gift from the Kelben Foundation to establish a Community Mental Health Initiative. The gift will support improvements to the efficiency and effectiveness to how children and families access mental health services in Milwaukee’s central city.
The Kelben Foundation was established by Ted and Mary Kellner and supports education and health programs. The Foundation’s gift allows MCW and Children’s Hospital to work together to increase access to quality mental health care for children in Milwaukee’s central city. The funding provides support for several mental health professionals who will expand the initiatives of Children’s current health clinics embedded within the COA Goldin Center, Northside YMCA and Next Door Foundation. Training and education will also be provided to staff at the Boys and Girls Club, better equipping them to respond to mental health needs with children in their programs. Additionally, the program creates an intake and triage process to assist families with mental health needs.
“Access to mental health services is as important as access to physical health care specialists, and the intent of this initiative is to improve access for families by providing mental health professionals embedded in the neighborhoods most in need, and also to streamline and simplify the processes involved in seeking mental health services,” said Mary Kellner, Ed.D. “Partnering with MCW and with Children’s Hospital and working with community organizations is an important step in establishing better mental wellness in Milwaukee,” she added.
Ted and Mary Kellner have made significant contributions to health care and education in the city of Milwaukee individually and through the Kelben Foundation. Mary has more than 20 years of counseling experience, and her daughter, Kristin Kellner Schultz, Ph.D., serves on the board of Mental Health America of Wisconsin. In 2007, the Kellners created the Kellner Chair in Pediatrics at the Medical College. This endowed chair is held by Earnestine Willis, MD, MPH, Professor of Pediatrics and Director of the College’s Center for the Advancement of Underserved Children, and provides resources dedicated to reducing health disparities for area children. Ted Kellner serves on both the MCW Board of Trustees and Children’s Hospital of Wisconsin Board.
“We are profoundly grateful to the Kellner family for their commitment and dedication,” said Peggy Troy, CEO, Children’s Hospital. “We are thrilled to launch this endeavor to provide increased access and appropriate mental health services to children and families. We know psychological distress can have an impact on physical health. The longer children and families wait to receive adequate and appropriate treatment, the more staggering the costs become, both emotionally and physically.”
John Raymond, Sr., MD, president and CEO of MCW, noted, “This impactful and generous gift from the Kellner family not only will help children and families get access to the mental health services they need, but also will raise awareness of the great need for trained mental health professionals in Milwaukee and statewide. We are grateful to the Kellner family for its philanthropy and for the community partnerships this gift will forge as we seek solutions for children and families in need of treatment.”
About Children’s Hospital of Wisconsin
Children’s Hospital of Wisconsin is the region’s only independent health care system dedicated solely to the health and well-being of children. The hospital, with locations in Milwaukee and Neenah, Wis., is recognized as one of the leading pediatric health care centers in the United States. It is ranked No. 4 in the nation by Parents magazine and ranked in all 10 specialty areas in U.S. News & World Report’s 2014-15 Best Children’s Hospitals report. Children’s provides primary care, specialty care, urgent care, emergency care, community health services, foster and adoption services, child and family counseling, child advocacy services and family resource centers. In 2012, Children’s invested more than $117 million in the community to improve the health status of children through medical care, advocacy, education and pediatric medical research. Children’s achieves its mission in part through donations from individuals, corporations and foundations and is proud to be a member of Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals. For more information, visit the website at chw.org.
About the Medical College of Wisconsin
The Medical College of Wisconsin is the state’s only private medical school and health sciences graduate school. Founded in 1893, it is dedicated to leadership and excellence in education, patient care, research and community engagement. More than 1,200 students are enrolled in MCW’s medical school and graduate school programs in Milwaukee. New regional medical education campuses are scheduled to open in Green Bay in 2015, and in Central Wisconsin in 2016, with each recruiting initial classes of 20-25 students. A major national research center, MCW is the largest research institution in the Milwaukee metro area and second largest in Wisconsin. In FY 2013-14, faculty received approximately $154 million in external support for research, teaching, training and related purposes, of which approximately $138 million is for research. This total includes highly competitive research and training awards from the National Institutes of Health (NIH). Annually, MCW faculty direct or collaborate on more than 2,000 research studies, including clinical trials. Additionally, more than 1,350 physicians provide care in virtually every specialty of medicine for more than 425,000 patients annually.