Every Family. Every Child. Every Time.
Youth & Family Services
 

Meet our Youth and Family Services Team

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Chris Dutton, LCSW

Chris, our Clinical Director of Community and School Services, joined the Bridge in 2019. In his role, he is responsible for the Bridge's Youth and Family Services Department and oversees all school-based services offered by the Bridge. He also leads the West Hartford Youth Service Bureau providing comprehensive prevention and intervention services, resource development, community involvement, and advocacy.

Chris has extensive experience in school, residential, and outpatient clinical environments. He developed a passion for working with children early in his career. As Director of the Hartford County 4-H Camp and a paraprofessional offering behavioral and educational support, he gained the capacity to effectively interact with children and the strong desire to continue engaging with this population. Prior to joining the Bridge, he directed a 28-bed psychiatric residential treatment facility. 

Chris earned a Master of Social Work in Administration Degree from the University of Connecticut and a Bachelor of Arts in English Degree from Eastern Connecticut State University. 

 

 

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 Jonathan Merritt, BA

Jon is the Youth Services Coordinator and directs the West Hartford Teen Center. He is responsible for the Conard and Hall High School student success teams, the West Hartford Community Network, and works closely with the West Hartford Public Schools to offer positive youth development groups and mentoring. Jon began his career as a member of the Los Angeles Corp of Teach for America and went on to serve as a Secondary English Teacher in the Los Angeles Unified School District.  He supervised the Army CYS Middle School and Teen Program and began a life path of mentoring and working with at-risk teens.

"Working with youth has been a life-long endeavor; I was drawn to mentoring through teaching.  My general philosophy with teens is that you have to give respect to get respect, and you have to lead by example."

Jon earned a Bachelor of Art in English Language and Literature from the University of Maryland, and attended London Metropolitan University as part of a study abroad program.  He also conducted Secondary Education work at University of California Los Angeles.

Contact Jon

 

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