CEO’s Message 2
The mission and guiding principles that will continue to steer the agency’s operation
As of June of 2003 the Kent County Mental Health Center, which has been providing services in Rhode Island for over a quarter century, became The Kent Center for Human and Organizational Development, or The Kent Center. Though our new name reflects much that is new, there are many things that the Kent County Mental Health Center did that The Kent Center will continue to do. Most importantly, we will continue to be guided by our mission and our guiding principles.
OUR VISION
Improving the Quality of Life
The Kent Center for Human and Organizational Development (The Kent Center) is dedicated to improving the quality of life in our communities by promoting growth, mutual interdependence and recovery. Our services focus on mobilizing the strengths of individuals and systems to achieve desired goals. We strive to create an atmosphere where dignity, respect and equality are commonplace … thus enabling the fullness of the human potential to develop.
OUR GUIDING PRINCIPLES
Community Connections
The Kent Center provides client services while networking with other community organizations. We believe positive working relationships among agencies create empowered communities that are better prepared to provide quality services for all who utilize them.
Systems of Support
We encourage and assist individuals to establish positive relationships and to create their own natural support networks. In developing systems of service for people throughout their life cycle, we seek to collaborate with state and local systems to create services more responsive to our clients. We employ education, prevention and early intervention strategies to foster the development of empowered consumers and communities.
Strength Focus
We believe each and every person can find and mobilize the strengths within themselves to further personal recovery and lend these strengths to their community in order to promote positive well being.
Change and Growth
We recognize that a constant in life is change itself. We accept the responsibility to encourage change and growth in others and to foster our own personal growth and development. We recognize that growth often involves taking two steps forward and one step back.
Dignity & Respect
We believe growth and change occur best in an environment of dignity and respect. In respecting ourselves and others we understand that personal responsibility is an essential ingredient in having the freedom to change and grow.
Recovery
We are committed to enlivening the process by which individuals, families and communities develop the skills and attitudes necessary to turn life experiences into opportunities for emotional and spiritual growth. We recognize that respectful supportive relationships are at the root of recovery. We believe clients are the architects of their own recovery.
Courage
We accept the challenge to resolve difficult situations and try new ideas. We support each other in creative risk taking and in maintaining hope in the face of adversity. We recognize it takes courage to overcome barriers in realizing one’s potential.
Teamwork
As team members, we foster creative synergy to meet the changing needs of our communities and the clients we serve. We appreciate diversity and recognize that each individual contributes his/her knowledge and experience towards accomplishing common goals. We believe effective teams produce better outcomes.
Continuous Improvement
We are committed to excellence as a standard of performance and seek to create broad participation in the development, maintenance, evaluation, and refinement of what we do. We believe consumers should participate in program planning, development and evaluation.
Nonviolence
We realize that the spirit, mind and body can only thrive in nonviolent environments. We foster the peaceful resolution of conflict through social and emotional skill development. We believe life is a gift that should be enjoyed.
Future messages will address how The Kent Center for Human and Organizational Development puts these principles into action.