Marcy Rand, director of Human Services, told the Health and Human Services Commission she has received five protective-services referrals recently and has conducted multiple home visits in response. Rand said the department has provided grief support to Playhouse employees after the death of a single parent who worked at the theater; the death remains under investigation and the cause was not specified.

Rand said the employee-wellness fair for town employees is scheduled for Oct. 22 and will include blood-pressure checks and Walgreens providing flu shots for employees. She urged donations for the department’s holiday gift-card drive, saying the program gives $100 per child and serves between 75 and 100 children under age 15; donors may give smaller-denomination cards. “The wellness fair is going to be 10/22,” Rand told commissioners.

Rand said mental-health first-aid training is planned for January and that a local staff member (Shannon) will later help run additional trainings. She also said she will coordinate additional grief-support groups at the Playhouse and noted the Playhouse has tighter ties with an in-building tenant (Blackbird) who may also need support.

Rand requested volunteers to help deliver holiday baskets beginning in December and said the department will circulate an ad about holiday-safety resources and Al-Anon referrals.

Less-critical details: Rand attends an upcoming aging-and-disability symposium in Plantsville and reported that the holiday-card drive has been slow so far; she asked commissioners and the public to share donation links.