Richard Sardella and Patrick Fitzgerald, owners of Sardella’s Restaurant, were presented with Newport Mental Health’s Outstanding Community Service Award at the 2020 Newport Mental Health Annual Meeting on Monday, February 24th.
“They have been donating meals to our 65 Valley Road location since 1992. That’s roughly over 12,000 meals for many who might otherwise go without eating,” said CEO and President Jamie Lehane of Newport Mental Health in a statement. “Common sense tells us and research does, too, that when basic needs, such as food and housing are met, emotional resiliency increases. Sardella’s is helping Newport County do that.”
Other award recipients included Ellen Fitzgerald-McCallum, who received the agency’s highest honor, the J. Clement Cicilline Award for “her tireless and outstanding work” in making inroads with local police departments to establish Newport Mental Health’s Emergency Crisis Team. The team assists police on the scene for those in substance use and/ or mental health crises. Lehane continued, noting Fitzgerald-McCallum’s most recent outreach with the Jamestown Police, helping to thwart a potential person from jumping off the Newport Bridge.
“Not only has Ellen provided scores of individuals with immediate behavioral health screening, links and follow-up to services, she’s saved lives,” said Lehane in the statement.
Among the 80 attendees at Newport Harbor Hotel and Marina, were the state’s Behavioral Health Developmental Disabilities and Hospitals (BHDDH) Director Kathryn Power, Senator District 13 Dawn Euer, former NMH President and CEO Bud Cicilline, among other distinguished guests, agency leaders and board members.
The mission of Newport Mental Health is to improve the lives of children, adults and families living and working in Newport County by providing the highest quality, recovery-oriented, evidence-based and integrated mental health and substance use care. NMH serves clients in Jamestown, Newport, Middletown, Portsmouth, Tiverton, and Little Compton.