Philanthropy News at Bradley Hospital

Bradley Hospital, New England’s only psychiatric hospital devoted exclusively to the care and treatment of children and adolescents, has appointed new leadership of its Foundation Board of Trustees. Jeffrey Hirsh, who has served on the board for 20 years, has been elected chair. He follows Larry Sadwin, who completed a successful decade-long tenure as chair at the end of October.
In addition to naming Hirsh chair, the hospital welcomed Tricia S. O’Neil as the Foundation Board’s vice chair. Tricia, who lives in Rumford, is Managing Director at Descendants Wealth Management of Raymond James. She has served on the board since 2018 and is a past co-chair of Bravo Bradley! with her late husband, Timothy. Serving as secretary of the board is Elizabeth “Betty” Brito, of Bristol, who shares a long history of supporting Bradley Hospital with her husband, Joseph.
The Bradley Hospital Foundation Board of Trustees is comprised of community leaders who serve as volunteer ambassadors and support advancing care, research, and education through philanthropy. Trustees work to enhance philanthropic support and the impact it has on patients and the hospital’s needs and mission.
“Jeff, Tricia, and Betty are tireless advocates for Bradley and, more importantly, for the children and families who need our specialized care,” said Henry T. Sachs, MD, President, Bradley Hospital. “We are grateful, not only for their commitment to our mission, but also for their dedication to the important role philanthropy plays in our ability to deliver that mission.”
A lifelong resident of Rhode Island’s East Bay and the longtime owner of The Lobster Pot restaurant in Bristol, Jeff has devoted himself to civic service and to giving back. In addition to his involvement with Bradley Hospital, Jeff is chairman of the Providence-Warwick Convention and Visitors Bureau and is treasurer of the Rhode Island Convention Center Authority. He also is president of the Board of Directors for Blithewold.
“I am beyond proud to chair the Bradley Hospital foundation board and recognize the great responsibility that comes with following in the footsteps of those who have contributed so much to the hospital’s legacy,” said Jeff. “Bradley is truly a special gem of a hospital, and we are fortunate to have its expertise in our community, and I pledge to do all I can to help ensure it has the resources that support the delivery of its world-class, lifesaving care.”

The Anouk Foundation, based in Geneva Switzerland, bridges the gap between art and well-being by transforming healthcare environments into positive spaces that help welcome, heal, and reassure patients during their treatment journeys.
In 2022, healthcare volunteer and arts advocate Elizabeth Leatherman brought Anouk’s impactful work to the United States through a project at Newport Hospital. Recognizing its potential for the behavioral healthcare community, Elizabeth saw an opportunity to expand its reach. Collaborating with Bradley Hospital, known for its dedication to the therapeutic healing arts, this partnership has provided an innovative way to improve the environment for adolescents in care.

Friends and supporters of Bradley Hospital have long known the incredible expertise in treating autism spectrum disorder we have right here in our Rhode Island backyard. But now thanks to a star-studded movie playing in theaters nationwide, thousands upon thousands more have a chance to better understand what we see each and every day.
On Thursday, May 9, we were fortunate to host a special, advanced screening of “Ezra” at the Showcase Cinema Deluxe Warwick. The film’s story captures the struggles a divorced couple have co-parenting their autistic son, with dad and child embarking on an unexpected cross-country road trip that could change their lives. It was directed by Tony Goldwyn and produced by Bill Horberg, who in 2021, relocated to Rhode Island so his son could receive treatment at Bradley.
It is one of the connections between Bradley and the movie, and the reason Bill – with Tony – wanted to return to Rhode Island in a way that could benefit the hospital and elevate the lifechanging care it provides. WJAR’s Molly Levine covered the screening, speaking with both Bill and his son, Diego.

On a late summer day, Bradley Hospital Foundation Trustees and the Bravo Bradley committee gathered to cut the ribbon on a child’s summer fantasy come true: the Murray Family Foundation Splash Park. The creation of this new facility was made possible thanks to a major grant by the Foundation, matched by funds raised at Bravo Bradley 2022. The 1829 Legacy Fund and Joseph M. Brito, Jr. and Elizabeth G. Brito also contributed significant support.
Situated where a swimming pool had been since the early 1950s, the splash park offers joy to kids spending time in treatment while their schoolmates are enjoying summer vacation. It is also therapeutic. The park offers a safe, controlled setting for kids with sensory processing disorders to work with staff, an additional opportunity for anxious youth to engage in exposure therapy, and a place to practice social emotional learning and life skills with other children.
Murray Family Charitable Foundation President Paula McNamara said, “If there’s anything kids need at this point in our healthcare history, it’s some stress release and a chance to just be kids. This project might be fun, but it’s also a very serious and essential part of recovery, and we are proud to be part of it.” The Murray family has been a long-time supporter of excellence in Rhode Island’s healthcare and takes particular pride in its support of Bradley Hospital—especially amidst the children’s mental health crisis.

Bradley Hospital President Dr. Henry Sachs remarked: “Paula, you and you your family have done a wonderful, wonderful things for kids,” shortly before being the first to experience the cooling waters of the park—suit and all.
The Murray Family Foundation Splash Park was constructed by Pariseault Builders and coordinated by the Brown University Health Design Team with the Bradley Hospital Director of Operations and Facilities.

Just in time for summer vacation, the residents of Bradley Hospital’s campus-based Children’s Residential and Family Treatment (CRAFT) Program get to enjoy a long-awaited play area right at their back door. The nearly $400,000 project was funded completely by our philanthropic supporters, and replaces a too-small, well-worn, and impractical playground that really didn’t offer what the children at CRAFT enjoy most – basketball, Four Square, swings, giant chalkboards, and an expansive, soft play surface for running around or playing games like soccer.

The CRAFT Program provides intensive, family-centered residential treatment services to children ages 5 to 12 years who have emotional and behavioral problems that prevent them from living safely at home. Children live together and receive intensive staff supervision and clinical services and engage in the family work that can help them return to their families.
At the grand opening, Bradley Hospital Foundation Board Chair Larry Sadwin noted: “We are not only committed to giving the children in our care the very best treatment available; we are committed to assuring that their experience at Bradley Hospital supports their most positive outcomes. This playground will help assure that their days spent healing aren’t days spent without joy. It makes all the difference.”
Bradley Hospital is deeply grateful to the following donors for making this project possible:
1829 Legacy Fund; Victor and Gussie Baxt Fund; Grimshaw-Gudewicz Charitable Foundation; The Hearst Foundations; Tom and Cathy Lawson; Ida Ballou Littlefield Memorial Trust; Edward J. and Virginia M. Routhier Foundation; Shriners of Rhode Island Charities Trust; and the Yawkey Foundation.

Bradley Hospital raised over $1 million during its signature annual event, Bravo Bradley, held this year on June 9 at Mount Hope Farm in Bristol.
The evening’s intermittent rain did not dampen the spirits nor the generosity of the many attendees who came out to support Bradley, the nation’s first psychiatric hospital devoted exclusively to children and adolescents.
The evening – designed around the theme “Reaching for the Stars” – included dinner, dancing, a speaking program, and live auction in a tented space on Mount Hope Farm’s beautiful waterfront grounds.
In all, this year’s Bravo Bradley, co-chaired by Brenda and David Turchetta, raised $986,330. Of that, about $420,000 benefited a fund-a-need appeal for The Bradley Center, an acute residential treatment program for teens dealing with a wide range of emotional and behavioral concerns. A post-auction pledge to The Bradley Center of an additional $50,000 from Tricia O’Neil pushed the evening’s total well over the million-dollar mark.
Donors Carol Peterson, Al and Gerrie Verrecchia, and Dr. Henry Sachs kicked off the fund-a-need appeal with pledges of $25,000 each. They were followed by dozens more generous donations, ranging from $10,000 to $250.
As auctioneer Harry Santa-Olalla concluded the appeal, Joe Brito, Jr. made a surprise announcement of his $100,000 donation in honor of his wife, Betty Brito, who was also in attendance and serves on the Bradley Hospital Foundation Board of Trustees.
The event also featured compelling remarks by Bradley Hospital President Dr. Henry Sachs and a 13-year-old patient speaker, Grant, who spoke about how Bradley Hospital’s evidence-based exposure therapy treatment helped him overcome anxiety and obsessive-compulsive disorder.
Another highlight of the evening was the live auction, with coveted items including a week-long stay in Antigua; a New England sports package that featured tickets to Red Sox, Celtics, and Patriots games; an exciting trip to Napa Valley; and an opportunity to attend a movie premiere in New York City.
Bradley Hospital extends its deepest gratitude to the 2023 Bravo Bradley co-chairs Brenda and David Turchetta and sponsors:
Ocean State Job Lot Charitable Foundation; Susan O. and David A. Brown; Turchetta & Associates; Amica Insurance; Christine and William Carr; Roger and Cynthia Sherman; Betty and Joe Brito, Jr.; Cox Business; Kate Luckett and Steve Pasquariello; NEMD Architects; Carol A. Peterson; Tricia S. O’Neil, CFA, Managing Director, Descendants Wealth Management at Raymond James; and many more.

Summer 2021 offered a bright spot in a challenging 20 months at Bradley Hospital, and it was made brighter by the opening of the beautiful new Dowling Courtyard for the inpatient units.
The transformation of this secure play space has been nothing short of remarkable. A pleasing, colorful, and softer surface has replaced what had previously been referred to as a “dustbowl” or a “mudbowl,” depending on the weather. For years, our facilities team struggled to keep grass growing in this heavily used recreational area. The area was first created when the acuity of our patients wasn’t nearly as high as it is today, and they were more likely able to leave the unit to do their running around in the gym or the lower ballfield area.
The space is enjoyed by kids from the adolescent, children’s, and Center for Autism and Developmental Disabilities inpatient units for games, chalk drawing, Wiffle ball, and kickball. It’s also a great spot for yoga, or a one-on-one lunch with a therapist or family member.
Said one inpatient unit staff member, “The cushioned new play surface is so much better that what had become mud and dirt – the kids love it. It also means patients can play more times during the year – they love watching the weather in the courtyard. This time of year the patients are all eagerly awaiting the first snow!”
Due to COVID, and a few supply chain delays along the way, we haven’t yet been able to dedicate the space with the Dowling family and others who made the reimagination of this space possible. In the meantime, the space is enjoyed every day, and we expect we’ll soon see a few snow people out there – without muddy faces.
Grant News from Bradley Hospital
The Doug Flutie, Jr. Foundation for Autism recently awarded Bradley Hospital a $10,000 Autism Community Impact Grant to support the emergency needs of our patient families living with autism while their kids are receiving treatment. Learn more
Bradley Hospital recently received a $7,400 grant from the Blue Cross Blue Shield of Rhode Island Community Health Fund at the Rhode Island Foundation to provide teen Mental Health First Aid (tMHFA) for high school students (grades 10-12) in the Pawtucket Public School District.
The Emma G. Harris Foundation, Bank of America, N.A., Trustee has awarded Bradley Hospital $25,000 to create a structured student-run school store and update domestic skills training space for high school students at the Bradley School Providence.
Bradley Hospital was recently awarded two grants to help renovate the Bradley Center, a 16-bed residence that provides short-term treatment for teens who suffer a wide range of emotional and behavioral disorders: $50,000 from the Shriners of Rhode Island Charities Trust and $40,000 from the 1829 Legacy Fund at the Rhode Island Foundation.
The Manton Foundation has awarded Bradley Hospital a generous grant of $1,000,000 to renovate and improve the interior and exterior areas of the Access Center.
The Boston Scientific Foundation has awarded Bradley Hospital $9,800 to provide mental health first aid and suicide prevention trainings for local communities where Boston Scientific employees live and work.
Bradley Hospital has been awarded a grant of $10,606 from the Rhode Island Foundation’s Special Medical Fund to purchase medical equipment for patients with medical challenges and physical disabilities.
The Everett F. Boyden Trust, Bank of America, N.A., Trustee has awarded Bradley Hospital $11,300 to purchase an Obie projector game system and companion mobile cart to provide interactive games and activities for children in our inpatient units.
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