Alissa Wurtzel, LCSW, and Elanit Kayne Linder have joined the staff of Jewish Family Service of Greater New Haven (JFSGNH).

As the new Clinical Mental Health Director for both the Child and Adult Outpatient clinics at JFSGNH, Alissa Wurtzel brings with her an eclectic skill set of evidence-based treatment modalities and experience with diverse populations. Having served the mental health and behavioral needs of Connecticut residents for the past 20 years, she is experienced with individual, family, and group therapy, and has worked with clients as young as four and as old as 107. Her strength, says Alissa, is in teaching people about the impact that stressors and stimuli have on us as human beings, and she encourages individuals and groups to use their intuition and uniqueness to identify solutions.

Before joining JFS, Alissa’s specialty areas were in trauma informed care, EMDR, medical social work, Animal Assisted Therapy (AAT), and co-occurring disorders. She has worked with community health clinics, children and families using animal assisted therapy, the Connecticut Army National Guard, and hospice patients and their families. She earned her Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees at the University of Connecticut. Alissa can be reached at (203) 389-5599, x117 or awirtzel@jfsnh.org.

Elanit Kayne Linder, LMSW, recently joined JFS as the Aging Adult and Community Outreach Coordinator.

“I’m invigorated to be joining JFS at a time when the geriatric program is expanding as are the geriatric needs of our community. I look forward to rolling out the JFS Care Navigators Care Management Program,” she says.

In her new position, Elanit will lead JFS' comprehensive program that provides needs and psychosocial assessments, care planning, advocacy, linkage to community resources, weekly check–in calls and collaboration with family members.

Previously, she worked with the older adult population at various facilities, as assisted living memory care director, director of recreation, and clinical community liaison.

Elanit earned her Bachelor’s degree at TISCH School of the Arts at New York University and her Master’s Degree at Columbia University School of Social Work.

She is committed to program development that empowers individuals and communities to achieve the best quality of life as they envision it. Elanit can be reached at (203) 389-5599, x114 or elinder@jfsnh.org.