Business & Tech

New Mental Illness Treatment Facility Opens in Windsor Locks

The Elegant Clinical day treatment center is located on Spring Street

This article was posted by Megan Bard. It was written and reported by Jessie Sawyer.

In the aftermath of the Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting Dec. 14, one topic that often comes up besides gun control is mental health.

Striving to be a part of the movement to improve healthcare for individuals with mental illnesses, a new day treatment center opened on Spring Street in Windsor Locks in February

Karen Lapienski, 32, of East Granby, launched Elegant Clinical out of her home back in September.

She runs Elegant Clinical with her boyfriend, Tracy Mark Gaston, 40. Since meeting him at their previous place of work, the two have become a self-proclaimed "power couple" that Lapienski said is "destined to carry out a larger mission than the two of them." Both of them have spend the past 10 years working "with individuals with cognitive and psychiatric disabilities," she said.

"Elegant Clinical has identified many of the current systematic issues by starting an agency that has a plan to reduce abuse, neglect, having a live operator answering our phones, a business model that is not 'lazy' for lack of better terminology," Karen Lapienski,  CEO of Elegant Clinical. "Being timely is essential in this field. An individual may have mustered up the energy to make the phone call just once for help. Treating our individuals served and staff with respect, integrity and allowing them to work on their personal goals is essential. We believe in having individual treatment plans that we take a look at daily, not every six months or a year to see what is working and what is not."

The Windsor Locks site is temporary while Lapienski and Gaston look for property in East Granby to "build our day program" within the next year. The facility would include programs in horticulture, culinary, photography and include "area for the expressive arts." Lapienski also said that she plans on adding an "animal shelter piece for animal therapy."

Lapienski earned her doctorate's degree in psychology in December of 2009, having gone through college as a single mom raising her daughter, who was born on her 20th birthday.

"It has been an interesting shift to the business world, but a much needed one," she said.

Patch asked Lapienski to tell us more about her business and the new treatment center in Windsor Locks. Here's what she had to say.

Patch: When did your business open?

Elegant Clinical: "Elegant Clinical started on September 27, 2012."

Patch:
How did it come about?

Elegant Clinical: "The current mental health system and developmental services system needed a place of specialty and clinically run services.... Not only do the individuals served need a change but the staff do as well. Elegant Clinical is committed to being a psychologically healthy work place. 

"Elegant Clinical came together from working in a system where individuals served are unfortunately not always put at the center of treatment goals. 

"Elegant Clinical focuses on the individual. Many individuals have trouble sustaining employment, sustaining relationships, family discord. Elegant Clinical will be working together with the community to create jobs, sustain jobs, and for those who need an alternative, Elegant Clinical has created a Business Art Express Model which will utilize art therapy and creative arts to therapeutically create works of art through paintings, jewelry making, pottery, drawing, and beyond to create works of art to sell to the public on an internet marketplace.  This program will enhance self-esteem, promote a place of unconditional positive regard and most of all love.  Elegant Clinical is a believer in hugs and love as well as teaching and most importantly moving the individuals served to a life of independence where they can feel autonomous and independent."

Elegant Clinical: Can you discuss the role DCF plays in your business?

Lapienski: "It is in the process of becoming a non-profit organization in the state of Connecticut. Elegant Clinical is currently listed on the Department of Children and Family Services (DCF) credentialing list, pending approval from the Department of Developmental Services (DDS), and open to funds from Department of Mental Health and Addiction Services (DMHAS), public schools, and the private sector. These areas are our funding sources."

Patch: What services do you offer at your company?

Elegant Clinical: "Elegant Clinical offers life and social skills, vocational placement, clinical treatment, intensive home supports, behavioral supports, business art express program for individuals with cognitive and psychiatric disabilities in the State of Connecticut and beyond."

Patch: Why did you decide to open originally in East Granby and what made you interested in your field?

Elegant Clinical: "We loved the atmosphere and small town of East Granby. So much positive thoughts happen here. It is magic energy. Interest in the field for Mr. Gaston happened when he was living near a group home over a decade ago and saw the need, saw staff that were not as caring as he, individuals who needed love. From then, he has not done anything else, this has been his journey and now it is time to accent on his strengths as well as continue his leadership within the human services within this population.

"Dr. Karen became interested after her master’s degree with individuals with disabilities because they were the most loving of all.  She did not realize her mission yet, but over the last two years, certainly has pieced together her calling.  This is not only for individuals served, but truly for family, and for staff. Dr. Karen has a brother with severe mental illness and along with her unconditional support for them over the years, she has worked to treat and move forward many."

Patch: Do you have a business mantra you live by?

Elegant Clinical: "Elegant Clinical was created to answer a need, not just for our services, but to consult above and beyond in human services and the world.  Elegant is an organization that promotes Human Kind for Individuals served and those that work for us.  It is the only way we see it done.  When we care for ourselves, we care for others better, when we care for our staff, we allow them to care for others better. We must change the way humanitarian agencies are run, and Elegant will stick to our mission to ensure our goals. Elegant was created after much soul searching, after many dilemmas in the current field. Elegant saw the light and was blessed with the creativity and tools for the change. We are ready for the challenge."

Patch: Can you tell us about your business background?

Elegant Clinical: "Mr. Gaston worked in the field for over a decade with individuals with disabilities and so did Dr. Karen."

Patch: Finish the sentence. When I'm not working I'm... 

Elegant Clinical: "When we are not working, we are looking for the next botanical gardens, looking for places to exercise, hike that are new and exploring our surroundings, food! 'Loving up' with our family.  That is one of our favorite things. Love is everything."

Patch: Given the discussion about mental health in the wake of the Newtown tragedy, do you have a comment on improvements that can be made and how this factors into preventing future tragedies? Could your business play a role in that and how can you offer to help with the options you offer?

Elegant Clinical: "We believe in having individual treatment plans that we take a look at daily, not every six months or a year to see what is working and what is not. The normal population does not wait six months if they want to go to the movies, neither should the individuals we serve. Hiring more competent staff where the individuals served feel safe to be themselves and flourish.  Elegant Clinical does not believe that they can solve the system problem, but within our agency, we can do everything in our power to build a structured stable day to promote holistic health for the individual’s served along with the family in our services.

"Steve Jobs said when you hire A players, you get A work. Elegant Clinical is a specialized program who can work with challenging behaviors across the board. We will only hire A players and all of our individuals served come in A players!"

BUSINESS INFORMATION

New Address: 448 Spring Street, Windsor Locks 
Phone Number: 860-413-9509
Website: www.elegantclinical.com
Email: drkarenlapienski@aol.com
Business Hours: 8 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Facebook: www.facebook.com/Elegant Clinical


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