Alexandra “Ali” Ramsteck, the Director of the Department of Human Services in Darien, will lead a discussion on the vital role that the Department plays in our community. In particular, the Department provides a wide variety of services, including supportive counseling, assessments for benefits and program eligibility, as well as case management for any Darien resident. In addition, the organization provides crisis intervention, assistance with mental health, substance abuse and domestic violence issues, and emergency financial assistance.
Ali has been a resident of Darien for 19 years along with her 3 daughters. She received her bachelor’s degree in Human Development and Sociology from Boston College. Upon graduation, she entered Columbia University and received a master’s degree in Clinical Social Work. Ali began her career at New York Presbyterian Hospital Cornell, Westchester Division where she worked for 8 years, initially on the Children’s Inpatient Psychiatric Unit and then as the Senior Social Worker on the Geriatric Inpatient Psychiatric Unit.
Ali has been working for the Darien Human Services Department since January 2012. She began as a part-time Case Manager and was later promoted to full time Assistant Director in April 2016. In April of 2017, Ali was promoted to Director of the Department which currently serves hundreds of clients.
In addition to serving as Director of Human Services, Ali has extensive community involvement, serving as a member of or working with a variety of other service organizations, including: At Home in Darien; the Human Services Planning Council; the Darien/New Canaan Unit of Salvation Army; the Darien Domestic Abuse Council; the State of Connecticut Municipal Veteran Service; the Abilis/Darien YMCA Project SEARCH Steering Committee; the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 (ARPA) Committee for Darien; and Darien’s Juvenile Review Board .
Ali also serves as Chair of the Darien Mental Health Task Force, which Darien recently created following the untimely deaths by suicide earlier this year. The purpose of the Task Force, comprised of mental health experts and key community leaders, has been to address the acute mental health issues in our Town, to communicate closely and coordinate all the services and supports currently being offered to the Darien community, and to develop suicide prevention and postvention plans.
Arranged by Frank DeLeo