Dr. Lynn Darnell

​This will be my last letter as the Bristol Crisis Center Executive Director.  I will be retiring effective May 29th.  In a little over three years that I have been here, we have seen a lot of change.  Our building has had a complete makeover.  We have gone from three grants to seven grants. We have been deleted from the at- risk category with the state. 
Our certification with the American Association of Suicidology was extended from three years to five years.  We have gone from four staff to six staff and we have gained back our sexual assault response team.  As I look back, I am proud of the growth and I want to acknowledge that it couldn’t have happened without the excellent staff we have.  With all the things happening in our nation at the present time, the pandemic, the election, the adverse effects on our economy, the need for Bristol Crisis Center is more evident than ever.  We have continued our services, even during the weeks when it was safer for our staff to work from home.  Our sexual assault response team still went to the hospital with victims, our hotline continued to operate and we still called our Just Checking folks.
 The Center, like many other agencies, has been hit financially.  The IRS says that $300 of charitable donations can be used this year on your taxes even if you don’t itemize.  I hope that you take advantage of this option and if you do that please remember the Bristol Crisis Center.  Let me thank you in advance for your generosity and please know that we care and are here for you and our community.  Be safe and happy.