Our Story
RISE emerged in April 2017 from a merger between Community Partnerships, Inc. and Center for Families, two Dane County non-profits focused on community-based, strengths-driven services to children, families, and young adults. When Community Partnerships was established in 2000, the agency’s primary focus was providing mental health wraparound services to children and their families. Since 1976, Center for Families’ services and programs have focused on building strong, stable families and preventing child abuse. Together, the organizations have more than 40 years of experience providing services in our community, and serve over 2,400 children, individuals, and families annually.
RISE believes in the power of human connection and the resilience that exists within everyone. We embrace strengths-based, solutions-focused approaches to addressing the mental health and wellness needs of our community. Our services provide education, support, stabilization, and coordination of care to children, families, and individuals in our community.
Our Mission
Advance the wellness of children, individuals, and families by providing early childhood and mental health services to help communities and families thrive.
Our Vision
RISE will be a leader in wraparound services for early childhood, mental health, and wellness. We will jointly shape expectations alongside participants while framing equitable partnerships throughout the region. We will be regarded for our stewardship of resources and success in nurturing an inclusive and caring environment for participants and staff alike.
Board of Directors
Chair: Gary Praznik – HealthChoice
Vice Chair: Teresa Holmes – Exponential Endeavors, LLC
Treasurer: Millicent Hutchinson – Public Health Madison Dane County
Secretary: Eric Krieghoff – Madison Media Partners
Jennie Watters – Community member
Joy Ippolito – American Family Insurance
Mary Michaud – La Follette School of Public Affairs, UW Madison
Nikki Stafford – American Family Children’s Hospital
Stella Furlano – Reinhart Boerner Van Deuren S.C.
John Weinstock – Springs Window Fashions
Our Values
Equity and Inclusion
Intentional, insightful and profound service cannot be done without acknowledging, addressing, and countering the absence of inclusion and equity in our community. We will challenge our own beliefs and behaviors around cultural humility and biases in order to provide culturally responsive services to communities, individuals, and partners.
Collaboration
People are most successful in achieving their goals when all systems are working together. We strive to create environments in which people can both exchange ideas and create solutions. We believe in working as a partner with participants, colleagues, and the larger community to become more effective. This spirit extends to our governance processes by which the Board of Directors and staff work in partnership with each other and with community stakeholders to advance our mission. It also infuses the commitment to teamwork in our work environment.
Growth
We believe in partnering with people to develop their abilities. We foster a love of learning and a mindset by which challenges are viewed as opportunities to improve learning and build skills. We also respect that beliefs, values, preferences, and strengths are relationally acquired and may change over time such that we must adapt the work we do and how we approach each other.
Resourcefulness
We believe in the power of applying imagination and creativity to help find solutions to problems and to help people deal well with new or difficult situations. We strive to maximize available resources and use informal community supports to advance success. Our work focuses on partnering with participants and staff to find and leverage resources to cultivate their skills.
Care
We are motivated to help others by offering hope and support during challenging times. We offer trauma-informed care, and our approach is culturally informed. We respect the unique needs and abilities of every individual and seek to leverage the strengths and assets of each person.
RISEAnnual Reports
2013 Community Partnerships Annual Report & 2013 Center for Families Annual Report
2014 Community Partnerships Annual Report & 2014 Center for Families Annual Report
2015 Community Partnerships Annual Report & 2015 Center for Families Annual Report
2016 Community Partnerships Annual Report
Our Partners
Privacy Practices
Review our Privacy Practices in English here or en Español. Each person receiving services from RISE receives a copy of our Privacy Practices at the time of enrollment into services. This document explains how a person’s information may be shared, who it may be shared with, and what rights individuals have related to information sharing.