Anne's Arts & Activities Blog

Stairways Behavioral Health of Erie, Pa., and Beacon Light Behavioral Health Systems of Bradford, Pa. have announced that their Boards of Directors have signed mutual Letters Of Intent to affiliate under a common Support Corporation. The two organizations have already enjoyed a long term working partnership in Warren County, providing both private and inpatient psychiatry and substance abuse services. This affiliation expands upon that successful partnership. Beacon Light previously restructured according to the support corporation model, performing shared administrative and operational functions for its existing, distinct companies of Children’s Home of Bradford, Children’s Center for Treatment and Education, and Ramsbottom Center, Inc. Through affiliation, Stairways board members and administrators will share an active role in governing the affiliated system, integrating administration with Beacon Light in the areas of finance, information technology and human resources, ...

An Olean man is jailed on charges that he molested two teenage girls in exchange for cigarettes while he worked for Beacon Light Behavioural Health System in Bradford. 38-year-old Steven Mesiarik allegedly fondled the girls, who are 14 and 16, after offering them cigarettes, and encouraged them to kiss each other while he watched them. The alleged incidents happened back in May. Mesiarik was arrested Monday in Olean, and is still in the Cattaraugus County Jail awaiting extradition to McKean County. The news leader of the Twin Tiers ... since 1947

Marsha A. Fish, 64, of Bradford, passed away Wednesday, February 15, 2012 at her residence. Born February 12, 1948, in Bradford, she was a daughter of the late Paul F. and Althea J. (Jones) Hale. On November 11, 1967, she married James L. Fish who passed away January 16, 2001. She was a 1966 graduate of Bradford High School. Mrs. Fish worked for McKean County CARE for Children for 28 years, and most recently worked for Beacon Light Behavioral Health Systems as a Transcriptionist. She is survived by a daughter, Jessica E. Fish-Long of Washington, a son, Gregory J. Fish of Bradford; a step son, James L. Coldren of Lewis Run; a sister, Nancy (Charles) Tingley of Bradford; six grandchildren, Natalie Fish, Benjamin Fish, Lucas Fish, Chelsea Coldren, Jada Coldren and Hunter Martin and one niece. Friends will be received on Monday February 20th from noon to 1:00pm in the Hollenbeck-Cahill Funeral Homes Inc. South Ave at which time funeral services will be held with the Rev. W. LeRoy Beckes, p...

“Coping with Schizophrenia” will be the topic at Bradford Regional Medical Center’s (BRMC’s) fifth annual Rays of Hope Mental Health Gala scheduled for Thursday, May 27, 4:30 p.m. to 6:30 p.m., in the main lobby. The guest speaker will be Frederick J. Frese, Ph.D., a psychologist who served for 15 years as the director of psychology at Western Reserve Psychiatric Hospital, one of Ohio’s largest psychiatric hospitals. He is currently coordinator of the Ohio’s Summit County Recovery Project. “This event will bring a wealth of information about mental illness to anyone in the community who wants and needs to learn more. Our ultimate hope is to eliminate the stigma of mental illness,” said Jacqueline Shine-Dixon, director of BRMC’s Bradford Recovery Systems, which is the hospital’s psychiatry department. Thirty-five years ago, while a young Marine Corps officer, Dr. Frese was diagnosed with schizophrenia and over the next 10 years was in and out of mental hospitals, often on secure wards. ...

The previously announced renovation and expansion of Beacon Light’s Bridgeport Academy in Port Allegany will improve access to services for those in the region, reported agency officers this week. Through the addition of various community based programming, the site will operate as a “clinical home” from which students transitioning back into the community and local school districts will have the necessary supports to succeed. Currently, the Bridgeport Academy program is designed to meet the educational and treatment needs of school aged youth who, for a variety of reasons have had a lack of success in the general public school system. In the past, when students were discharged from Bridgeport Academy, they returned to their home school district with limited after care or follow up services including community based services, psychiatric follow-up, and/or therapy services. Beacon Light’s intent is to evolve the current programming in Port Allegany into a comprehensive array of treatmen...

Holiday paraphernalia from "The Christmas House" is being moved into place at its new location, Beacon Light on East Main Street.