These scholarships were created by Bridges’ Board of Directors, along with the Endowment Fund Committee and Scholarship Committee, to celebrate the remarkable contributions of Barry Kasdan and Stella Cretella—two champions of mental health and community care.
Mr. Kasdan was appointed President and CEO of Bridges in 1984. Under his leadership, the organization grew from a small mental health agency with 22 employees to an integrated healthcare system with 160 employees. Bridges Healthcare continues to grow in size and scope, serving over 8,000 area residents in Ansonia, Bethany, Derby, Milford, Orange, Seymour, Shelton, Stratford, West Haven, and Woodbridge.
Ms. Cretella was a firm believer in higher education, especially for women. She was a pioneer in mental health advocacy, awareness, and treatment through her volunteerism on the board of directors for both Region II of the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) in Connecticut and Bridges Healthcare.
The Barry Kasdan Scholarship for the pursuit of a graduate or undergraduate degree in Human Services, and The Stella Cretella Scholarship for those in pursuit of higher education through graduate or undergraduate degrees focusing on advocacy and policy reform in mental health services.
Bridges’ Board of Directors is seeking to award three (3) scholarships of $1,500 each to further our mission to promote individual and community health, wellness, and recovery through integrated behavioral services. The successful candidates must meet the following criteria:
Criteria for awarding the scholarship:
- Must be a Bridges employee, or spouse, child or grandchild of a Bridges employee, or a resident of Ansonia, Bethany, Derby, Milford, Orange, Seymour, Shelton, Stratford, West Haven, or Woodbridge, Connecticut;
- Must be pursuing a graduate or undergraduate degree in Human Services, or must be pursuing a graduate or undergraduate degree in Mental Health Advocacy / Public Policy, and
- High School applicants must be completing high school or have a GED equivalent in the year the scholarship is awarded.
The deadline for applications is March 31st, 2026. For more details, including eligibility criteria and the origin of these scholarships, please click the document below.
Applications can be submitted online using the Bridges Healthcare Board Scholarship Application.
Should you have any questions, please feel free to contact scholarship@bridgesmilford.org.