When I walked into the offices of CHRIS 180 (then Georgia CHARLEE) in 1987, I planned to stay for eight years until my daughter entered college, then I intended to return to private practice as a Marriage and Family Therapist. But within three months I knew that I was where God had prepared me to be. I fell in love with the kids who needed healing, acceptance, love and empowerment to realize their potential. I was overwhelmed with the trauma they had experienced and at the missed opportunities for intervention in their lives. I committed myself to figuring out how to best help them build positive relationships with caring adults, make a successful transition to adulthood, and achieve success. I also committed myself to influence change and to promote an understanding of the impact of trauma while working to expand the child welfare and mental health systems to address trauma through prevention, early intervention, reunification and most importantly, healing.
Now after almost 37 years, it is time for me to focus on my own healing. For the past few years, I had been in conversation about retirement with one of our past board chairs. Then on December 31, 2022, my life and plans were dramatically altered by the unexpected death of my husband, followed by the devastating sudden death of my daughter seven months later at the end of July 2023. As those of you who have lost loved ones know, figuring out how to move forward is very hard. It is not something you “get over.” You must learn how to live with the losses. I need space and time to take care of myself. Grief is exhausting.
At the same time, it is important to me to make sure that CHRIS 180 is structurally sound and set up for a sustainable future. The organization will move forward to meet the current and future needs of the children, adults and families in our communities with programs closely aligned to our mission, vision, impact and revenue. I am extremely proud that CHRIS 180 has always done incredible work for children, youth and families whose potential is too often overlooked. We have led innovation and advocated for trauma-informed care and prevention services. Among our many innovations, I am proud that CHRIS 180 created the first program in the State for youth aging out of foster care, the first wraparound pilot in the State, the first program in the southeast to celebrate and help LGBTQ+ youth experiencing homelessness, and the first school-based mental health program. We have worked hard to increase access to and expand services, guided by a commitment to high clinical quality care and equity. That work is far from finished. Georgia is currently 48th in access to mental health care.
Still, I am proud of what we have accomplished – the lives we have saved, changed and enriched, and the fact that so much of the good work in mental health and in the community can be traced back to our innovation, work and advocacy. My top priority has always been to realize the mission of CHRIS 180, to lead with integrity to foster continued innovation, and to ensure our long-term success. Our mission to heal children, strengthen families and build community is unwavering.
Over the next several months our Board of Directors will conduct a formal, nationwide search for my successor. I will continue to lead CHRIS 180 and will work with my successor and the board during a transition period. While my first priority in retirement will be to focus on taking care of myself and giving myself space and time to grieve, I will not walk away from my commitment to the work of CHRIS 180 or my advocacy on behalf of children, youth and families. I will remain involved, just in new ways. I will continue to work to expand services, to increase access to high quality trauma- informed services for all Georgians regardless of income, and for every person to be accepted, valued, and treated with respect, kindness and compassion.
From CHRIS 180’s beginning providing safe homes and treatment for traumatized children who were struggling in foster care, to our counseling centers, training and presence in more than 82 schools across Metro Atlanta, bringing trauma-informed therapy to students and their families, our impact has continued to grow. To thrive, children need healthy adults, healthy families and healthy communities where people find acceptance for who they are, where they are, compassion, safety and opportunity. CHRIS 180 has become a community force, helping people of all ages change the direction of their lives. And I am blessed to have been in that number.
I look forward to seeing CHRIS 180 do good work and lead innovation for many years to come. CHRIS 180’s continued success requires our investment – mine and yours. The lives and welfare of our children and our collective future are more than worth our contributions of time, talent and resources. I want to take this opportunity to thank each one of you who have made CHRIS 180’s life changing work possible over our first four decades and thank those of you who will step up to ensure our essential work continues going forward. On behalf of the hundreds of thousands of children, youth and families you have helped and will help, I thank you from the bottom of my heart.
Kathy Colbenson, LMFT is the President & CEO of CHRIS 180.
