Member-At-Large
Richard J. Bilangi, MS, has dedicated his professional life to the substance abuse and mental health treatment field. He received his Baccalaureate in Education from Goddard College and Masters in Marriage and Family Therapy from Southern Connecticut State University.
Mr. Bilangi created Connecticut Counseling Centers, Inc. in 1983. Since the inception of Connecticut Counseling Centers, Inc. the programs, services and patient population has grown from 90 to 1500 patients receiving medical, substance abuse and mental health services with a staff of 76 medical, clinical, and administrative employees in Norwalk, Waterbury and Danbury, CT.
In 2012, Counseling Centers, Inc. was presented with the 2012 SAMHSA “Science to Service” Award for its Bridge To Recovery™ Peer Mentor Program.
Mr. Bilangi was awarded the Nyswander/Dole Marie Award at the Inaugural National Methadone Conference in 1991 for his significant contributions to the methadone treatment field.
Mr. Bilangi is a Member at Large of the Board of Directors of the American Association for the Treatment of Opioid Dependence, and serves as the Chairperson of the State Membership Committee. During his participation in AATOD and its predecessors, he has held positions of Connecticut Conference Chair, as well as Chairs of Conference Workshop, Awards Committee and the Plenary Committees. Mr. Bilangi has served as an expert field reviewer for the Center for Substance Abuse Treatment (CSAT) in the development and revision of a number of Treatment Improvement Protocols (TIP).
