Lee

From A6 crisis as more children began showing up at emergency departments. Many were suicidal, out of control, or were dealing with eating disorders.

For the Christmas holiday, the foundation “adopts” a number of children in town who would otherwise have few, if any, gifts to open. The effort has been dubbed the Ryan T. Lee Holiday Giving Tree. Last year, the foundation adopted 52 families right here in Berlin.

The foundation also runs the Ryan T. Lee Memorial Collegiate golf tournament, which draws some of the top Division I golf programs on the east coast to Shuttle Meadow Country Club for a threeday event.

It has been 13 years since Ryan Lee passed away, and in that time, his foundation has made a difference in the lives of countless people.

Dan Lee believes the foundation will go over the $600,000 mark of charitable giving this year.

Ryan’s catch phrase, which adorns most of the foundation swag, is “Proud of Ya.” That number is surely something to be proud of.

This resulted in overwhelmed emergency departments and long waits for care for the kids who urgently needed help.

The pandemic exacerbated pre-existing mental health problems among the country’s youths. It was difficult for many to access care, and kids whose lives were disrupted with school closures struggled. In December 2021, the U.S. Surgeon General issued an advisory on a national youth mental health crisis exacerbated by the pandemic.

The state legislature passed three sweeping bills that aimed to address mental health care in schools and early childhood as well as fund mental health services in medical centers, educational facilities and in the community. In December 2021, the U.S. Surgeon General issued an advisory on a national youth mental health crisis exacerbated by the pandemic.

The Department of Children and Families has $141 million per year in recurring state and federal funding for behavioral health services and another $74 million in one-time funding allocated from the American Rescue Plan Act, DCF Commissioner Vannessa Dorantes said.

Other agencies such as the Department of Mental Health and Addiction Services and the Department of Social Services manage additional money for behavioral health services, Dorantes said.

“As a state, we are committed to making sure that the children that we serve are going to be happy, they are going to

See Urgent centers, A10

USPS delivery is available in the towns of Berlin, Cheshire, Durham, Middletown, Middlefield, Meriden, Plantsville, Southington and Wallingford. Delivery is Tuesday-Saturday by USPS.

Brooke Shields,

Long-lost ring back in family’s hands

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