[Congressional Record Volume 161, Number 159 (Wednesday, October 28, 2015)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1556]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




          RECOGNIZING MR. STEPHEN LARCEN, UPON HIS RETIREMENT

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                           HON. JOE COURTNEY

                             of connecticut

                    in the house of representatives

                      Wednesday, October 28, 2015

  Mr. COURTNEY. Mr. Speaker, today I rise to thank Dr. Stephen W. 
Larcen, President of the Hartford Healthcare Behavioral Health Network, 
for 25 years of devotion to improving the continuum of mental health 
services in Connecticut. With more than 40 years of experience in 
behavioral health and healthcare management, Steve has been an 
invaluable resource to Hartford Healthcare and the community at large. 
He has accompanied the organization through many periods of growth and 
change, including Hartford Healthcare's acquisition of Natchaug 
Hospital and their expansion to reach even more of Connecticut's 
residents by opening nine satellite hospitals throughout the state. 
Under his watch, the Behavioral Health Network expanded to offer more 
services than ever before, including in-home psychiatric services and a 
treatment program for adolescent girls involved in court proceedings.
  During his career, Steve's work stretched all across eastern 
Connecticut, a very diverse population with many mental health needs. 
Steve demonstrated a remarkable sensitivity to this diversity, which as 
the Congressman for that region I admire greatly. In particular, Steve 
successfully spearheaded an effort to give Medicaid patients from 
Windham County opportunity to receive care for mental illness at 
Windham Hospital and Natchaug Hospital, rather than New Haven or 
Hartford. This was a very competitive national process that Steve 
successfully navigated.
  A testament to his achievement and vision, Steve was appointed by the 
Governor to the Connecticut Behavioral Health Partnership Oversight 
Council. He is a corporator of Lawrence & Memorial Hospital and serves 
on the East Lyme Board of Finance and received the National Association 
of Psychiatric Health Systems' 2010 Grassroots Leadership Award for his 
work in elevating the importance of grassroots advocacy within the 
association. He has advocated tirelessly for increased coverage and 
funding for quality mental health services on a federal, state and 
local level. Adding to his many awards and recognitions, Steve received 
the 2015 American Hospital Association Connecticut Grassroots Champion 
Award.
  Although Steve will be retiring at the end of this year, the effect 
of his decades of devotion to the mental health horizon in Connecticut 
will be felt for years to come. I ask my colleagues to please join me 
in wishing Dr. Stephen Larcen a restful and enjoyable retirement.

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