“Dr. David Berkowitz was a visionary leader,” said Ann E. Thomas, chair of the Wheeler Clinic Board of Trustees, “his extraordinary contributions to the behavioral health community have fostered positive change for children and families, created a seamless continuum of strength-based, solution-focused services that spans Connecticut’s urban and suburban communities and nurtured public-private partnerships to facilitate statewide systemic change.”

Retired commissioner of the Department of Children and Families Darlene Dunbar, MSW described him as “a man who listened and then took action to support what children and their families said would best meet their needs.”

Wheeler Clinic has become a leading provider of behavioral health services in Connecticut under Dr. Berkowitz’s leadership, offering the most comprehensive continuum of evidence-based intervention and treatment services available in the state. Dr. Berkowitz earned recognition from funders, model-developers and community providers for his progressive approach to the adoption of evidence-based models of care and his commitment to developing staff competency in the most effective practices. He developed a progressive approach to outcome measurement, employing normed and validated measures across programs in addition to the utilization of model-specific measures to monitor client progress and inform program development. Dr. Berkowitz played a significant role in statewide development of effective behavioral health care solutions across child welfare, adult mental health, addiction and community justice domains. His leadership in the adoption of statewide systems of care within the child mental health system has had a dramatic positive impact on the care received by thousands of children. Dr. Berkowitz was at the forefront of state efforts to incorporate best practices at every level including working with the state’s judicial system to establish best-practices for court-involved juveniles and adults. Dr. Berkowitz also demonstrated a keen understanding of the value of innovation, establishing an integrated primary/behavioral health care project and helping found a groundbreaking statewide electronic health information exchange initiative.

David J. Berkowitz, Ph.D. joined Wheeler Clinic in 1977 as coordinator of clinical services for day and residential treatment. At the time the organization had fewer than 100 employees and served a small, primarily suburban central Connecticut community. Dr. Berkowitz provided oversight of children’s outpatient services, designed integrated clinical and educational programs and systems for special education students and provided psychological evaluations for children with severe emotional challenges, learning and developmental disabilities. He assumed increasing responsibilities as time passed and was named assistant director of clinical services for children by 1991.

Dr. Berkowitz took on a new role at Wheeler Clinic, becoming director of managed care in 1994. David positioned the clinic as a successful leader and innovator in the managed care environment, designing and implementing systems for utilization management, client satisfaction, outcome measurement and financial arrangements and negotiated contracts incorporating the broadest range of services and clinic providers possible. Dr. Berkowitz also served as the Director of Behavioral Health for the Anthem Blue Cross /Blue Shield Medicaid program during this period, helping to shape the behavioral health contracting process.

When the clinic’s long-standing executive director retired in 1998 Dr. Berkowitz was appointed by the agency’s Board of Trustees to fill the vacancy following an extensive national search. The agency had a staff of close to 300. Today, Wheeler Clinic employs more than twice as many individuals (more than 750), and serves thousands more children and families each year. The clinic’s continuum of services has expanded dramatically and now includes a full range of services for juveniles and adults involved with the court system, seven congregate care programs for children and adolescents and the most comprehensive array of evidence-based, in-home and outpatient treatment services in the state. The clinic’s service area also widened under Dr. Berkowitz’s leadership and now includes four of Connecticut’s urban centers: Hartford, New Haven, New Britain and Waterbury as well as more than two dozen suburban towns.

Dr. Berkowitz’s vision helped Wheeler Clinic grow and adapt to meet the changing needs of the community. He was an integral contributor to the development of the behavioral health and not for profit service sectors. As the statements of Connecticut Governor M. Jodi Rell, and Department of Mental Health and Addiction Services Commissioner Thomas A. Kirk, Jr., Ph.D., attest, David’s leadership helped shape the practice, the business and the public and private systems that comprise the mental health service structure in Connecticut and beyond.

Commissioner Kirk observed David’s commitment to advancing the industry over many years: “David’s leadership in the adult mental health system was demonstrated by his service on the Connecticut Alcohol and Drug Policy Council. He also played a lead role in both the Connecticut Department of Mental Health and Addiction Services Recovery Oriented Systems of Care and Women’s Services Practice Improvement Collaborative. His work in advocating for gender-specific, trauma-informed approaches to care for pregnant and parenting women helped improve the quality of care for women statewide. His understanding of the role of physical and sexual abuse, exposure to violent crime and domestic violence on women in early recovery, as well as on the children they are raising is reflected in the continuum of research-supported trauma treatment models he oversaw at Wheeler Clinic. Dr. Berkowitz made significant contributions to the quality of behavioral health care enjoyed by Connecticut residents. He was an advocate for the adoption of evidence-based care while continuously encouraging innovation within the industry. His dedication to both Wheeler Clinic and the statewide system of care was unwavering.”

Governor M. Jodi Rell notes: “Dr. Berkowitz’s enthusiasm, energy and commitment have helped shape Connecticut’s not for profit sector. He held leadership positions with the Connecticut Nonprofit, and Connecticut Community Providers Association. He was a founding director of eHealth Connecticut, a not for profit organization created to champion and sustain a secure statewide health information exchange that will dramatically improve the safety, efficiency and quality of health care in Connecticut.”

Dr. Berkowitz was recently recognized by the National Council for Community Behavioral Healthcare as a 2008 Awards of Excellence winner. Selected to receive the Lifetime Achievement Award for Staff Leadership, Dr. Berkowitz was selected for his life-long commitment to the behavioral healthcare and disabilities communities. "As an agency leader, practicing clinician and an advocate for people with disabilities, Dr. Berkowitz was truly a public health icon. His commitment to positive change was the defining characteristic of his career," said Linda Rosenberg, MSW, president and CEO of the National Council for Community Behavioral Healthcare. "The respect and affection that staff, colleagues, and consumers felt for him is a testament to his life's work. Dr. Berkowitz has transformed the lives of so many individuals and their families, caring for and helping them to find hope and to live full, successful lives."

Plans for a memorial service are underway. Contributions may be made to Wheeler Clinic, 91 Northwest Drive, Plainville, Connecticut 06062 or to Dana-Farber Cancer Institute c/o Dr. Vincent Ho, Bone Marrow Transplant Program, 44 Binney Street, Boston, MA 02115.