Submitted by Amanda Falcone
(September 19, 2023) — Middlesex Health’s new home for outpatient mental health services in Middletown is now known as The Beit Paley Center.
Previously known as The Crescent Center for Mental Health Services, the 54,000-square-foot, recently renovated building was dedicated on September 18, 2023 in recognition of a one million dollar donation from two local families: The Beit family of Glastonbury, and the Paley family of West Hartford. Roger Beit and Mark Paley co-own Harvest Investments LLC.
This million-dollar donation is the largest gift for mental health services in the health system’s history — and the fifth largest gift ever.
“We are deeply grateful to the Beit and Paley families,” said Middlesex President and CEO Vincent G. Capece, Jr. “They recognized a need and were able to help. Dedicating our building in their honor is one way that we can thank them for their generosity.”
The Beit Paley Center, located at One MacDonough Place, houses all of Middlesex Health’s Middletown-based outpatient mental services, and the newly-renovated building allows the health system to improve access to its mental health services for both children and adults, while expanding outpatient mental health services to close gaps in care that are particularly acute, including services for women with post-partum depression and young adults ages 18 through 26.
Middlesex Health provides both inpatient and outpatient mental health services, helping nearly 10,000 children, adolescents and adults annually. In addition to The Beit Paley Center, Middlesex continues to have an outpatient mental health services office for adults in Old Saybrook, along with an inpatient mental health services unit at Middlesex Hospital.
Mark Paley says donating to Middlesex allows the Beit and Paley families to help people of all ages, especially young people, improve their lives by addressing the increased need for mental health services. “Mental health is a real problem, and instead of turning a blind eye, it needs to be highlighted,” he said. “This is a good place for us to start.”
Mark Paley adds that the Beit and Paley families have ties to Middletown and Portland — ties that span multiple generations — and that giving back to the local community is very important. “Both of our families have been proponents of helping others,” he said. “It’s a different feeling when you do something locally in the community — when you see the impact you are making. The old adage is true. ‘It is better to give than to receive.’”
For more information, visit MiddlesexHealth.org/mentalhealth.
Photo provided by Middlesex Health
