Our Team

Division Director

Iceis Elliott, LMSW:  The Director of IFS handles the initial intake for services with families and case managers. Working closely with the team and the family, the IFS program seeks out a good match of staff for the individual. The Director monitors services, communicates with individuals, their families and state workers as needed.

Clinical Supervisor

Richard Joseph: is a Qualified DDS provider.  He attended SCSU and graduated with a bachelor's degree in Sociology and a minor in Psychology and received a master's degree from Albertus Magnus College.  Richard has worked with Benhaven in the IFS program since 2007 and has provided Positive Behavioral Supports to many challenging individuals with autism.  Richard has helped his individuals foster a better sense of self.....and has also helped improve their independence by increasing their Activities of Daily Living and various strategies to cope during difficult situations.  Richard believes that everyone has a purpose to find happiness and wants to tap in to everyone’s full potential of each of the individual’s he serves.

Office Manager

Kristen Perzan:  The office manager provides support to the Director and the Family Support Specialists (FSS) in managing the administrative aspects of services. This includes: budgeting, billing, payroll, training/processing new employees, intaking new individuals into the program, and tracking proper documentation.

Family Support Specialists

A Family Support Specialist (FSS), more commonly referred to as a behaviorist, will do an initial functional behavioral assessment (FBA) and develop a positive behavioral support plan (BSP).  The ultimate goal of the BSP is to promote the health and wellness outcomes for our individuals by teaching and increasing socially appropriate behaviors, providing social opportunities and connection to their communities, and enhance their level of independence.  Ongoing support from the FSS is common, with as little as one hour a month and up to more than two hours a week, depending on the individual's level of need.  Family Support Specialists also oversee the individual support providers, collaborate with the individual’s interdisciplinary team, and monitor the implementation of the goals of the BSP and individual plan (IP).  

Individual Support Providers

Individual Support Providers, more commonly referred to as direct support professionals, are carefully chosen to provide one-to-one support to the assigned individual. They are trained on the strengths, needs, abilities and preferences of the individual by the FSS and instructed to follow the positive behavior support plan that was established and/or the goals outlined in the individual plan.