Feeds'Nicely' done
Director honored for saving department
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Marisa Farinacci NicelyMarisa Farinacci Nicely, director of clinical services for Starfish Family Services, recently received the Crain’s Detroit Business 40 under 40 Award. For 19 years, Crain’s has honored the best and brightest individuals in Southeast Michigan who have made their marks in business before age 40.
Nicely oversees the operations of Lifespan Clinical Services, the mental health division of Starfish Family Services. She joined the agency in 1998 and held several clinical positions before she took over the supervisory role to oversee the possible orderly shutdown of its clinical services division. The division was losing about $50,000 a month and Starfish had laid off most of the 50 full-time employees and hired them back on a fee-for-service basis, she said.
Nicely was given the chance to save the division, which encompassed independent living, early childhood and parenting programs. Under her direction, the division streamlined spending and began intensive rehiring of staff. Nicely implemented quality initiatives to make sure that Lifespan was showing positive outcomes, meeting contractual requirements and using the most effective clinical practices. Today, she oversees 82 employees, up from 50 in 2003, and a $6 million budget.
Nicely earned a bachelor’s degree in Behavioral Science from the University of Michigan Dearborn and a master’s degree in Social Work from the University of Michigan Ann Arbor. She resides in Lincoln Park.
Lifespan Clinical Services revenue has grown from $1 million in 2003 to $6 million today. Last year, the division opened a second Lifespan Clinical Services center in Westland to provide mental health treatment for children and families. It also launched a child welfare treatment program to serve children in foster care in Wayne County. During the past two years, the division has increased the number of children and families it serves by 20 percent, bringing its total client numbers to 1,575 at the end of last year.
Starfish Family Services, headquartered in Inkster, offers programs to help educate and empower vulnerable families and children in western Wayne County. These include free preschool and other early childhood development programs, parenting programs, a crisis shelter for teens, after-school and summer programming and a comprehensive array of family mental health services.
Last year the agency provided services to nearly 9,000 children and their families at its numerous service sites throughout western Wayne County.
Starfish is able to provide services to families due to support from the community. For more information on donation opportunities please visit www.starfishonline.org.
