Our Mission & History
Our Mission
The mission of Family Ties of Westchester is to provide peer support, education, and advocacy services to families experiencing emotional or behavioral challenges. We connect families to essential community resources in order to achieve and sustain good health, emotional wellness and family stability.
Family Ties’ thirty year history began with one small group of parents working together to find solutions to their own families’ complex challenges. Today, our trained peer staff serves over 2,000 individuals annually at our four walk-in Resource Centers located in Mount Vernon, Ossining, Peekskill and Yonkers.
Our History
1980’s |
Pat Sparkman, psychiatric nurse and mother of a son with high-end mental health needs, notices the limited participation parents in Westchester County have when planning for their children’s behavioral health care. Growing increasingly frustrated with her own restricted role, she recognizes the need for support from other parents who understand her experience. Ms. Sparkman envisions a place where parents can share their challenges and discuss the obstacles that they are facing–a place where parents find comfort in knowing that they are not alone. Ms. Sparkman starts the first support group; parents from all over the county gather together to offer and receive support from one another. Ms. Sparkman encourages members to engage in dialogue with their child’s mental health providers and participate in the treatment planning process. |
1990’s |
 Former Executive Director, Karen Fredericks Westchester County Commissioner of Mental Health, Michael Orth Founder, Pat Sparkman The support group continues to grow in size and popularity, which catches the attention of the Westchester County Department of Community Mental Health (DCMH). DCMH supports Ms. Sparkman’s initiative and also believe that parent “voice” should influence policy formulation and program development. DCMH helps arrange for the group to become an affiliate of the Mental Health Association of Westchester (MHA). With the support of DCMH and MHA, Ms. Sparkman’s initial effort evolves from one single group into a regionally-based organization serving parents of children with emotional challenges all over Westchester County. Two Family Resource Centers open, in Yonkers and Mount Vernon, and the number of staff partnering with families increases. In 1999, Westchester County receives a 5 year federal “System of Care” grant in which Family Ties has the lead role representing the “voice” of children and families. |
2000’s |
 Former Associate Executive Director, Betty Mutschler Founder, Pat Sparkman  Former Executive Director, Carol Hardesty and Current Executive Director, Kerry Whelan-Megley In 2003, Family Ties becomes an independent not-for-profit organization. Over the next decade, Family Ties opens additional walk-in Family Resource Center. Our partnerships within the Westchester community increase substantially as we address the various needs identified by local families. In response to these needs, Family Ties offers a variety of additional services, including parent skills coaching, case planning, and Medicaid services.
 Family Ties of Westchester Picnic, 2006  Family Ties of Westchester, Champions of Children, 2009 |
2010 & Beyond |
As the ambassadors of “System of Care” values and principles, we promote cross-system collaboration which is:
We continue to advocate for the provision of services that are trauma-informed and are locally provided in the communities where families live and thrive.  Moms’ Retreat, 2014 |
Check our Calendar
Find Support Groups, Parent Coaching Sessions, and upcoming events at our locations.