Complex Problems. Simple Solutions.
© Copyright 2011 Cyrus Patten
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What I do and why
I am a social worker…
husband…
community organizer…
Vermonter…
and soon to be father…
I am currently the Director of Comprehensive Care at HowardCenter, Vermont’s largest mental health provider. I am a systems thinker, focusing efficiencies in the nonprofit sector. As a social worker by training, I look at multiple levels concurrently, seeking to eliminate redundancies and break down conventional management assumptions.
I study complex system change within the human services field. An ever-changing realm, human service professionals often reject the very change we expect from clients. I am of the belief that change is often hard, but does not have to be.
My humble thoughts
Change is hard. Especially large, complex systems with multiple layers of stakeholders. Senator Brock, in announcing his bid for Governor, recently commented that “Vermonters don’t want to live in a laboratory for change.” Whether you agree with his statement or not, Vermont is most certainly ripe with change that predates the recent initiatives that dominate [...]
Continue readingI gave the following testimony to the House Human Services and House Appropriations committees in the Vermont Legislature on January 10th and 11th respectively. Thank you for your time today. My name is Cyrus Patten and I represent the Vermont Coalition of Residential Providers. We are a coalition of 21 nonprofits serving Vermont children and [...]
Continue readingIn lean economic times, it’s said that needs for social services spike while financial support for them plummets. Ask any development team across the country, contributions are down and demand is up. Now, more than ever before, is the time for non-profits to innovate. Over my decade of experience in non-profit administration, I have seen [...]
Continue readingI would love to add you to my professional network.
I work in Burlington, VT at HowardCenter and I live in New Haven, VT. You can reach me here
Phone: (Vermont) 598-4722
E-mail: cyrus [at] cyruspatten [dot] come
Website: http://www.howardcenter.org