[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 152 (2006), Part 13]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages 17889-17890]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




         TRIBUTE TO CENTER POINT INC. AND CEO DR. SUSHMA TAYLOR

                                 ______
                                 

                          HON. LYNN C. WOOLSEY

                             of califorina

                    in the house of representatives

                      Tuesday, September 12, 2006

  Ms. WOOLSEY. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor both Center Point, 
Inc. and its President and Chief Executive Officer, Dr. Sushma Taylor. 
The agency is commemorating 35 years of service to the people of 
California while celebrating Dr. Taylor's 25 years of visionary 
leadership with the agency.
  Founded as a small rehabilitation program in Marin County, 
California, Center Point now offers a continuum of statewide services 
for high-risk families, adults, and youths. With 30 sites in California 
and over 12,000 clients per year, the staff provides a wide array of 
health, social, and rehabilitative services to combat poverty, 
homelessness, unemployment, and

[[Page 17890]]

psychological and substance abuse problems. Sushma Taylor's dedication 
has been the driving force behind the creation of this expansive and 
successful agency we see today.
  Center Point's mission is to provide a range of affordable support 
services by offering education, training, health care, and counseling 
support so that those they serve can claim self-worth and dignity. Dr. 
Taylor's values and experience have been an ideal match for this 
mission.
  Throughout her career, Sushma's primary focus has been to create 
opportunities and remove barriers for high-risk clients. She has long 
been a champion of those requiring social rehabilitation to improve 
their quality of life and their personal and social responsibility.
  Sushma's father was an ambassador for the government of India, where 
she was born. The family relocated frequently, giving her a multi-
cultural and multi-lingual orientation. She moved to Marin County in 
1974. With a Master's Degree in Public Administration, and Doctorate in 
Clinical Psychology, and as a Licensed Marriage Family Therapist, she 
had the background to serve as Director of Marin and Sonoma County's 
Treatment Alternative to Street Crime projects in coordination with 
each county's mental health department. She worked to develop a unique 
justice diversion project that was replicated nationally.
  In 1981, Sushma became Executive Director of Center Point. Today the 
agency's clients receive a continuum of individualized services created 
by Sushma and funded through grants and contracts that she has 
successfully pursued. Graduates of the treatment programs move on to 
transitional housing and continuing care services as they prepare to 
successfully reintegrate into the community.
  Sushma has also expanded Center Point programs to the state of 
Oklahoma has established them in California state prisons, dramatically 
reducing crime and recidivism. She is one of the foremost authorities 
in the nation on treatment for women and provides consultation around 
the world. She also works closely with local state, and federal 
agencies to form policies that advance the field of addiction 
treatment.
  Mr. Speaker, Center Point's graduates are living proof of the 
achievement of their mission and of Dr. Sushma Taylor's belief that her 
true success is the successes of those she serves. Center Point 
believes that adversity can be overcome and the extraordinary achieved. 
And with Dr. Taylor's guidance, this has been demonstrated many times 
over. It is a pleasure to honor Dr. Taylor and Center Point on this 
memorable occasion.

                          ____________________