Our History

Supplying Hope for

Nearly 150 Years

Root Center for Advanced Recovery is a private, nonprofit, behavioral health care organization providing mental health and substance use prevention, treatment, community health services, and research. Originally established in 1871, the agency’s humble beginnings came in the form of an outpatient medical facility chartered specifically to provide medical services to the poor and indigent residing in the greater Hartford area.

In 1884, Dr. Joseph E. Root and Dr. M. Johnson offered a small back room to the organization for the use of an outpatient facility. A sign was soon added to the front of the Pearl Street office advertising the “Hartford Dispensary.” After a long and distinguished history of providing traditional medical, surgical, dental, and social services, the agency changed its focus in 1971 to the delivery of outpatient behavioral health care services.



Since that time, the agency has developed medication-assisted treatment services, substance use prevention programs, and infectious disease services. For many years, the agency has actively participated in pharmacological and behavioral research protocols. Presently, the Root Center treats more than 5,500 patients per day within its network of nine clinics across Connecticut. Over 6,800 individual persons receive services annually.

The General Assembly approves an act incorporating the Hartford Dispensary.

July 5, 1871

The Dispensary opens its doors to the general public in the Brownell building at the corner of Ann Street and Asylum Avenue. It becomes the first outpatient medical clinic in the state of Connecticut.

April 9, 1872

The Dispensary moves to Hartford Hospital, although the hospital never considered the Dispensary a department or part of its facilities.

1874

Dr. Joseph E. Root and Dr. M. Johnson discuss the need to continue to offer quality medical services to patients who can’t afford private medical care.

1884

Drs. Root and Johnson hang a sign in the front of their Pearl Street office reading “Hartford Dispensary.” During the first year of operation in one of the office’s back rooms, they treat 467 patients. They would go on to treat 516 patients in the second year and a record-breaking 1,454 patients during the first nine months of the third year.

December 8, 1884

The Hartford Sunday Gazette suggests that the churches set aside the last Sunday of each year to raise money for the Dispensary. On the first “Dispensary Sunday,” nearly $350 is raised, reflecting the strong community support that the Dispensary received.

September 1887

The Dispensary continues to grow in size and scope until it becomes one of Hartford’s most important community resources.

Early 1900s

Dr. F. Heublein supplies the Dispensary with its first X-ray machine.

1919

The Dispensary is recognized by The Community Chest for its outstanding work with patients. In step with a city-wide movement in 1927, the Dispensary’s Social Services Department integrates and coordinates its activities with private and public health agencies.

1920s

The Dispensary’s facilities are again renovated and expanded, allowing the organization to house more diagnostic services and employ additional staff. During the war emergency, the Dispensary serves an important function as a center for draft board exams. The organization also receives a commendation from President Truman for the valuable role it plays during the war.

1931

Despite only employing a medical staff of 35 physicians and 12 dentists, the Dispensary remains open for anyone living in Hartford County who can’t afford the services of a private dentist or doctor. In 1949, a special donation of $5,000 from the Hartford Foundation of Public Giving enables the organization to renovate its dental clinic.

Late 1940s

The Dispensary moves to 45 Retreat Ave., where it remains for the next 20 years. By this time, it is operating 30 clinics and features a staff of 25 doctors and 13 dentists, along with other supportive personnel. A fee of 50 cents is still the average charge for most clinic visits.

1960

Responding to a critical unmet community need, the Dispensary’s Board of Directors decide to sponsor a health care program specifically and exclusively geared for the treatment of heroin addiction. At this time, Hartford is experiencing an acute heroin epidemic and treatment resources for addicts are virtually non-existent.

1970

The Dispensary begins offering a methadone maintenance treatment program.

1971

Featured News & Events

Root Welcomes New Britain Residential Clinic Supervisor

By Fathom Member • November 15, 2024
Root Center is excited for the return of Allison Pons as our New Britain Residential Clinic Supervisor! Allison returns 5 years later to bring her expertise and passion for her work to Root Center's most exciting undertaking yet... our very first Residential Treatment Facility! Allison began her field work many years ago as an intern at Root Center for Advanced Recovery in one of our Methadone Maintenance Treatment Programs. She is now excited to be return to the Root Center, in her new role as Residential Clinical Supervisor. Allison returns to RCAR after further developing her career in the addictions and mental health field. Allison is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW), Licensed Alcohol and Drug Counselor (LADC), and Internationally Certified Gambling Clinician (ICGC-I). She also has more than 8 years of clinical and administrative experience in outpatient behavioral health care settings. She has enjoyed providing individual and group services to adolescents and adults and working as part of multidisciplinary teams to support a whole-person approach to recovery. Allison is excited to be part of RCAR’s first residential facility, and introducing this new service line to the community and patients we serve, providing high-quality mental health and addictions treatment. Welcome (back), Allison!

Root Welcomes New Director of Quality and Compliance

By Fathom Member • November 4, 2024
Root Center is so excited to welcome (back) Lisa Barbati as our Director of Quality & Compliance! Lisa returns to Root after obtaining her BSN and developing her career in Quality and Compliance. Lisa is Board Certified in Addictions Nursing (CARN) and has over 33 years of Nursing experience in Acute Hospital Care, Inpatient Behavioral Health Services and Outpatient Addiction Treatment Services. She served Root Center for 24 years in several prior capacities as a staff nurse and RN supervisor and is the 2019 RCAR recipient of the Nightingale Award for Excellence in Nursing. Most recently, Lisa held roles in Quality Improvement as a Clinical Quality RN with Intercommunity, Inc., and as a Virtual RN with Trinity Health of New England. In these roles, she honed her skills in Quality Assurance, Clinical Documentation Compliance, Data Analysis, and Ambulatory Care Risk Management. She's worked closely with leadership in Quality and Compliance, acted as a change agent and subject matter expert for several Quality Improvement initiatives, and assisted in developing tools and training on Quality & Compliance platforms. Lisa is dedicated to getting the facts right and maintaining high credibility. She thrives on research, making sense of things, and finding balance. She advocates for Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion, serving as an advocate for Autism and the LGBTQ community. Lisa is excited to be back in her new role as Director of Quality and Compliance at Root.

Root Center Community Forum - The Loneliness Epidemic: The Silent Sadness

October 9, 2024
Our Community Forum on, "The Epidemic of Loneliness: The Silent Sadness", was a success! Thank you to all of our wonderful panelists for sharing their time and expertise. It was a great evening filled with thoughtful discussion and conversation. The Root Center is proud to offer free events like this as part of our Advanced Recovery Institute (ARI). The ARI is committed to research and training to elevate clinical care. It is our hope that by organizing these forums that we will help expand our understanding and awareness of topics that impact our communities. Thank you again to our panelists: Andi Campbell, President of Wellspark Health, an EmblemHealth company. Dr. Peter Donato, Vice President of Clinical Services at Apple Rehab. Deb Bibbins, JD, MBA, Founder and CEO of For All Ages, a convener of CT Collaborative to End Loneliness. Dr. Saud Anwar, MD FCCP, State Senator, Deputy President Pro Tempore, Medical Doctor specializing in lung diseases and critical care medicine, occupational and environmental medicine. Allison Gaffey, PhD, FAHA, Assistant Professor at Yale School of Medicine. and Dr. John Nazarian, MD, Medical Director at Community Mental Health Affiliates, Inc. (CMHA), and future Chief Medical Officer of the Root Center for Advanced Recovery.
ADDITIONAL NEWS & EVENTS
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