BHSN’s PROS Program Celebrates 20 Years of Recovery
Plattsburgh, NY — Behind every diagnosis is a person with hopes, dreams, and a future. Behind every person with hopes, dreams, and a future, is a team ready to support them.
On Tuesday, October 13, 2026, the team at BHSN, alongside community organizations and public figures, celebrated the 20-year anniversary of the PROS program at BHSN.
The day saw speeches from current and former PROS staff, PROS participants, lifelong behavioral health advocates, and community figures.
Current and former PROS staff and individuals-served shared personal stories of trials, tribulations, and – most importantly – recovery and hope.
PROS is a comprehensive BHSN program dedicated to supporting adults managing mental health and substance use challenges. Through tailored therapeutic and rehabilitation treatments, PROS empowers individuals to reach their personal goals. Recovery is a deeply personal journey, and no two experiences look exactly the same. That is why PROS takes a tailored approach with each individual to facilitate effective and sustainable health and wellness.
This transformative and highly involved program is driven by personal accountability, supporting fellow peers, and building community with one another.
The sense of community that is felt in the PROS wing of the Morrisonville Center for Well Being is ever palpable. Individuals served often create meaningful connections with other participants and staff that support their road to recovery.
Watching someone move from a place of isolation, dependency, and self-doubt to a place of connection, recovery, and growth is a privilege. Even more so, it keeps everyone motivated to keep putting in the work every single day.
BHSN was the first organization in New York State to pilot its own PROS program. Over the years, PROS has adjusted and adapted to fit service users' needs.
Valerie Ainsworth, LCSW-R, attended this month’s PROS Kick-Off. Ainsworth is BHSN’s former (and very first) PROS Director. She saw the organization through the initial pilot of this program and was responsible for much of the heavy lifting in its early days.
In her speech, Ainsworth had one message she made sure everyone in the room could hear:
"Recovery is real! Hope is powerful. People can achieve extraordinary things when they have people who believe in them."
The goal of PROS is not perfection; it’s progress. And BHSN’s dedicated team of clinicians, peers, and program leaders help every step of the way.
The program operates in thirteen-week long “semesters.” During these semesters, participants set goals for themselves and work toward them consistently, using a range of tools and resources learned from staff and fellow peers.
At the end of each semester, program participants celebrate their individual milestones at the kick-off events. These milestones could be thirteen weeks drug-and-alcohol-free, thirteen weeks out of the hospital, thirteen weeks without law enforcement intervention, thirteen weeks of school, work, or volunteer service, etc.
There is no one way to measure success as each person’s journey is full of nuance and is unique to them.
Current PROS Director at BHSN, Maegan Perkins, regularly reinforces this idea by telling her individuals, "PROS is the practice, but your life is the goal."
As an organization, BHSN is honored to have been trailblazers for this and similar programs in the region. BHSN remains committed to continually growing with its community and meeting each individual where they are at.
Vice President of Crisis & Rehabilitation at BHSN, Paul Ferrari, included an important reminder in his address to the audience:
"You count. We care. Don't give up.”
PROS welcomed Harvey Rosenthal, the CEO of Alliance for Rights and Recovery as an esteemed guest and keynote speaker.
Rosenthal, an industry leader in mental health, delivered an inspiring speech that helped remind every person in the room why they get up in the morning and show up – whether we show up for ourselves or for others.
“In 2006, BHSN demonstrated its longtime commitment to advancing recovery and rehabilitation in New York State when it became the very first agency in New York to implement the PROS model,” said Rosenthal.
“PROS sent a clear message that New York’s mental health system was going to focus on supporting people to set their own life and recovery goals and identify the skills and supports they needed to achieve them.
“Prior to that, our systems were focused primarily on an illness model that focused on managing symptoms for people who were deemed incapable of becoming a worker, spouse, homeowner and active neighbor in their communities. That's no longer true, thanks in part to BHSN’s courage and leadership in leading the way towards the focus on recovery, choice and community that guides us today."
Rosenthal punctuated his speech with a powerful call-in for the recovery allies in the room:
“Never forget your anger; that is what makes you an advocate.”
Service users Magaline Jefferies and Shaunice Bonnier shared their journeys with the crowd, and offered helpful nuggets of wisdom such as:
"Nobody arrives as a finished product. We get to learn and grow."
"Your trauma does not define you."
"I have come a long way, and PROS has helped me feel safer"
"I love being sober!" said Mindie Foster, a Certified Recovery Peer Advocate (CRPA) and individual served by PROS.
Foster, who has worked her way from service-user to staff-member, delivered a profoundly sincere speech to the audience in the gymnasium that day. She is walking proof of the program’s efficacy and embodies the heart of what we do.
Foster concluded her speech with an earnest, teary-eyed reading of an inspiring, self-authored poem about recovery and flowers to Harvey Rosenthal – the man who helped inspire her on her recovery journey.
Following these heartfelt stories of hope, event guests were treated to a catered lunch and celebratory cake, a live performance from the PROS band, as well as engaging games and activities.
This 20th anniversary milestone certainly made this year’s PROS kick-off feel even more special.
Petra Grald, a liaison from New York State Assemblyman Cashman's office, presented BHSN with symbolic citation to honor the work the PROS program does to help facilitate recovery and wellness in the Upstate New York region.
Event Speakers:
Katherine Cook | CEO & President, BHSN
Paul Ferrari | Director of Crisis & Rehabilitation, BHSN
Maegan Perkins | Director of PROS, BHSN
Valerie Ainsworth | LCSW-R, Former (and 1st) BHSN PROS Director, BHSN
Greg Dahlen | Former Adventure Based Counseling (ABC) Director, BHSN
Rheta Recore | LMHC, CVPH
Harvey Rosenthal | CEO, Alliance for Rights and Recovery
Petra Grald | Liason, Office of NYS Assemblyman Michael Cashman
Mindie Foster | CRPA, Individual Served
Magaline Jefferies | Individual Served
Shaunice Bonnier | Individual Served
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