CHC Names Clinical Services Division in Honor of Catherine T. Harvey
Children’s Health Council (CHC) has announced that its Clinical Services division, which provides best-in-class psychological and psychiatric care and expert diagnostic evaluation services for young children through young adults, will now be known as the Catherine T. Harvey Center for Clinical Services, effective immediately.
“Other CHC divisions —Esther B. Clark School, Sand Hill School, Schwab Learning Center—have strong, iconic names that signify expertise, community and commitment, and we wanted the same for Clinical Services,” said CEO of CHC, Dr. Rosalie Whitlock. “As a board member since 2015, Catherine has been a pillar of strength, leadership and guidance. She is a strong advocate for best-in-class services for mental health and learning differences and has played an instrumental role in CHC’s growth and sustainability. It was a natural naming opportunity, and we are so honored that she agreed.”
The need for CHC’s Clinical Services has perhaps never been greater, with of 44% of high school students reporting persistent feelings of sadness or hopelessness and a 60% leap in suicide rates from 2007-2018, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. CHC’s unique continuum of care ranges from education, evaluation and early intervention to outpatient therapy, medication management, suicide prevention and an intensive outpatient program for high-risk teens. In 2020-21, CHC provided services for mental health and learning differences to 9,600 children, teens and young adults, not to mention free parent support groups, robust community education and an online resource library filled with curated content including an expert blog and weekly podcast. “CHC is like family. They took us under their wing and made sure we got the help and healing we needed for our son and for ourselves,” shared a client.
Catherine Harvey’s fervent compassion for struggling adolescents in our community and deep desire to prevent youth suicide helped launch CHC’s Teen Mental Health Initiative in 2016.
Showing strength and vulnerability, Catherine helped shine a spotlight on mental health and learning differences by sharing her own story and that of her family, modeling to the community that it’s okay to open up and get help. “I just decided somebody had to put their name on it, somebody had to put a voice to [depression],” Catherine told the Gazette in a 2021 feature article. “I started speaking out.”
Because anxiety, depression, suicidality and learning differences affect all demographics, Catherine staunchly supports our efforts in Palo Alto, San Jose and Ravenswood communities alike and, along with her fellow CHC board members, advocated for CHC to double financial assistance last year. She knows firsthand the pressures of living and learning in a competitive environment like Silicon Valley. And she understands the power of partnerships, helping to initiate a Teen Mental Health Leadership Collaborative in 2016 that brings key stakeholders together quarterly to address gaps and leverage impact.
A true “boots-on-the-ground” volunteer, Catherine actively advises on program impact and outcomes while simultaneously rolling up her sleeves in order to help CHC achieve its goals. To address the critical shortage of mental health providers in our community and beyond, Catherine supports CHC’s clinical training and doctoral internship programs, ensuring gold-standard care.
“Catherine embodies everything that CHC’s Clinical Services division represents,” says Chief Clinical Officer, Dr. Ramsey Khasho. “Her service to CHC as a deeply committed Board member, strategic advisor and philanthropist has been transformative for our agency.”
About Children’s Health Council
Children’s Health Council (CHC) is a local non-profit agency that has been providing comprehensive and integrated services for learning differences and mental health for nearly 70 years. We envision a world where every child, teen and young adult can reach their full promise and potential, regardless of language, location or ability to pay. Our program areas of excellence include ADHD, Learning Differences, Anxiety & Depression and Autism delivered through our two specialized schools, expert clinical services, robust parent education offerings, school and community partnerships and free online resources. Our goal is to remove barriers to learning and mental health, helping children, teens and young adults become resilient, happy and successful at home, at school and in life. At CHC, we’re here for you. En CHC, estamos aquí para ti.
Media Contact: Liza Bennigson | (415) 377–1494 | lbennigson@chconline.org
