Westbrook Health Services’ Executive Director Jo Ann Powell was recently honored by the Westbrook Board of Directors in recognition of 16 years of service. Powell retired on April 21, 2017.
The Board has renamed the “Friends of Westbrook Permanent Endowment Fund” the “Jo Ann Powell Visionary Fund for the Friends of Westbrook” to high light Powell’s contribution.
Early on Powell recognized the important role that Westbrook plays in meeting the complex behavioral healthcare needs of our community. To that end she established the account through the Parkersburg Area Community Foundation with a $5,000 prize she won at a local fundraiser. With much help from Westbrook employees and the support of others the endowment currently stands at nearly $80,000.
“Jo Ann’s dedication, enthusiasm, sacrifice, and ability to listen, coupled with her commitment to serve propelled us to honor her in this way,” says John Rockhold, Board President. “She faced many challenges when she took on the role of Executive Director. She got Westbrook on a firm footing and through her efforts and vision Westbrook will continue to meet the community’s behavioral health needs well into the future.”
“It has been my great pleasure and mission to empower people with mental health, developmental, and substance abuse issues to reach their greatest potential,” says Powell
Her commitment to the people served by Westbrook is exemplified by the words of Bernard Shaw, “I am of the opinion that my life belongs to the community, and as long as I live, it is my privilege to do for it whatever I can. I want to be thoroughly used up when I die for the harder I work the more I live.”
“It is because of my drive and determination to serve God that I came to Westbrook,” says Powell who is motivated to make a difference in this world by Matthew 25:35-36, “For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.”
Rockhold fondly recalls observing Powell confidently meet the challenges with which was confronted early in her tenure.
“She faced the complex funding and staffing trials associated with her position the same way one would face the challenge of eating an elephant- one bite at a time,” shares Rockhold.
The number of people served and the number of individuals employed by Westbrook have tripled from 200 to over 600 during her time at the helm. Services in Calhoun, Jackson, Pleasants, Ritchie, Roane, Tyler, Wirt and Wood Counties have grown to meet the changing needs of the community.
“Over the past 16 years, Jo Ann has had a positive impact on the entire agency. She has touched many lives with her passion for excellence and a strong commitment to the health and well-being of our consumers and communities,” says Darby Stevens, Director Mental Health Therapy Services. “She has demonstrated strong ethical leadership through her words and her deeds.”
Westbrook has expanded services to children through the Schools Tackling at Risk Situations (STARS) Program, Substance Abuse Prevention, and the Regional Youth Services Center grants. All of these programs aim to empower the children of our region to learn and adopt healthy lifestyle choices to ensure they grow into happy, strong, well-adapted adults.
As part of her commitment to meet the needs of our most vulnerable population, homeless services have expanded as well. Residential mental health and substance abuse services have been added in response to growing community needs.
The New Day Crisis Services Unit (CSU) and an increase in residential services and support for people with chronic mental illness were also realized under Jo Ann’s leadership in response to a need in our community.
Jo Ann also recognized the geographical challenges that confront many of our rural consumers in obtaining medical services, and was instrumental in providing access to important remote telemedicine treatment services with both Westbrook clinicians and providers from West Virginia University.
“Her commitment to this agency, the employees and our consumers is above reproach and has resulted in the expansion of our services. She will be greatly missed,” concludes Stevens.
“Life is no ‘brief candle’ to me. It is a sort of splendid torch which I have got hold of for a moment, and I want to make it burn as brightly as possible before handing it on to future generations,” concludes Shaw.
Jo Ann has truly fanned the flame to make the Westbrook candle shine brightly.
In lieu of a retirement party, Powell requests that donations be made to the “Jo Ann Powell Visionary Fund for the Friends of Westbrook” in care of the PACF, P.O. Box 1762 1620 Park Ave., Parkersburg, WV 26101. The Westbrook Board of Directors has donated $16,000 to the account to honor her 16 years of service to Westbrook.
