March 26, 2021 - Reliance Health is celebrating 45 years of enhancing health through mental wellness! Founded in April of 1976 as a drop-in center for patients of Norwich Hospital who would visit Downtown, we now employ over 250 staff and serve 1,500 individuals across Eastern Connecticut through a variety of residential and community-based mental health services.
Formerly known as Reliance House, we changed our name to Reliance Health in 2016 to better connect our name with the services we provide. Since that time, Reliance Health has experienced several developments, including the acquisition of 2 Cliff Street in Norwich. The Morosky Building, named after our founder John Morosky, currently houses 14 of our community-based programs including homeless outreach, employment support, social clubhouse, supported education, recovery coaching, case management, and outpatient therapy. The Morosky Building has provided Reliance Health the ability to expand service offerings over the past five years. In partnership with the town of Norwich and funding from the Department of Mental Health and Addiction Services, Reliance Health started the Recovery Coach Program in 2018. The program has provided support to over 300 individuals and families struggling with opioid use disorder while providing training, education, and resources to others within the community. Early Screening Intervention (ESI) is another relatively new program for our agency. An ESI Resource Specialist works with local courthouses to connect low-risk offenders with support and services to divert individuals from entering the criminal justice system. We have also added a residential home to our Developmental Disability Service offerings and hired a Youth Navigator to connect with youth experiencing homelessness. Despite barriers related to the COVID-19 pandemic, our case management, and residential programs remain essential in their efforts to support those experiencing mental health conditions while our outpatient clinic continues to see an increase in demand.
Carrie Dyer, who transitioned to the role of Chief Executive Officer following long-time CEO David Burnett’s retirement in 2019, speaks to Reliance Health's growth over the past 45 years, “Our organization has a remarkable history of responding and adapting to the needs of our community. The creativity and genuine compassion displayed by our employees is evidenced by the vast array of services we offer. We are continually evolving.” Chief Operating Officer Mike Van Vlaenderen agrees, “Having lived and worked in southeastern CT all my life, I've witnessed firsthand the ebb and flow of our community, the changes from one period of time to the next, but one thing that hasn't changed is our belief in and commitment to each other. This is exemplified at Reliance Health, where we have adapted our services to meet the ever-changing needs of a diverse community.”
Throughout our 45-year history, Reliance Health has remained committed to expanding our impact on community wellness. With help from the Edward and Mary Lord Foundation, we are in the process of putting the finishing touches on our Wellness Center, located in the basement of the Morosky Building. The Wellness Center will provide well-being activities such as yoga, Zumba, art therapy, and professional development offerings for those served and employed by the agency. Carrie Dyer hopes to expand access to the Wellness Center to those outside of the agency in the future, “Now, more than ever, being mindful of our collective mental wellness is the best way we can care for and nurture our community.”
Check back on our website and visit our Facebook page at fb.me/RelianceHealthInc as we celebrate 45 years throughout 2021! Have a memory or photos of our past you want to share? Send your memories to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..
