CGC Volunteer Profile-Toddy Turrentine

Toddy Torrance Turrentine joined the board of Child Guidance Center of Southern Connecticut (CGC) in 2014. She met the leaders of CGC while on a site visit for the New Canaan Community Foundation and was impressed with the mission, the professionalism and devotion of the clinical staff, their reputation, and strong finances. “They take a holistic approach to child mental health; work with families with a child at-risk even before they are born; and collaborate with other agencies to get services for children in need” she observed. “I was particularly impressed by CGC’s ability to get quick help to high-risk cases of trauma, abuse, and self-harm, through their Mobile Crisis Intervention and the Community Emergency Response team.”

Toddy has lived in New Canaan for 32 years. After attending the Yale School of Management, Toddy worked in the financial arena. Her extensive nonprofit experience started with:

• CARE
• Fairfield County’s Community Foundation Fund for Women and Girls
• Yale School of Management Alumni Advisory Board
• New Canaan Inland Wetlands Commission
• A U.S. Senate campaign

Currently, Toddy is deeply involved with the:

• Yale Alumni Nonprofit Alliance and the Association of Yale Alumni (AYA)
• New Canaan Democratic Party
• New Canaan Nature Center Board
• CGC’s Board- serving on the development and governance committees.

All of her work has been focused on the issues she cares deeply about. These include reproductive rights, raising children out of poverty, progressive politics, encouraging volunteerism, protecting our environment, and, as embodied in CGC, children’s mental health.

Toddy is especially passionate about the need for parity for mental and physical healthcare for children, and doing her part to erase the stigma around treatment. She recognizes that untreated mental health issues can place tragic limitations on a child’s future. Toddy believes that high-quality mental health services should be available to all, regardless of the ability to pay.

Toddy feels that when it comes to children’s mental health we can pay now or pay later. “A mentally stable child can be educated and become a self-supporting adult and parent; a child suffering with mental illness is not likely to be” she noted.

Toddy wants to spread the word to the families of New Canaan and surrounding communities, to let them know CGC is there for them and their children. Many New Canaan families bring their children to our Darien, Stamford, or Greenwich offices for therapy, or request in-home therapy for youth abusing alcohol or drugs, or engaging in dangerous behavior or self-harm.

When asked why she continues to be involved with CGC, Toddy stated it is “because the mission is more important than ever, the people among the best and most caring in the field, and the results are truly wonderful.”

We applaud Toddy’s commitment to her community and the causes she is ardent about, and are grateful for her dedication to our work with the children and families.