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New Leadership
Dr. Tam Sicard manages Catholic Charities of Sarasota and Manatee Counties
Catholic Charities, Diocese of Venice, Inc. hired Dr. Tam Sicard to oversee all programs and services in Sarasota and Manatee counties. Dr. Sicard will manage the Catholic Charities Counseling Program, Our Mother’s House, Bethesda House, Joseph’s Place, Casa San Jose, St. Martha’s Early Learning Center, Financial Assistance Program, and Catholic Charities of Manatee County where immigration, housing counseling
and foreclosure prevention, and citizenship services are offered.
Dr. Sicard has obtained a Ph.D. in Psychology from Capella University in Minneapolis; a Master of Arts degree in Psychology and Counseling from Goddard College in Plainfield, VT; and a Bachelor of Arts degree in Business Management and Law from Our Lady of the Elms College in Chicopee, MA.
Dr. Sicard recently worked at Charlotte Behavioral Health Care in Punta Gorda where she was Director of Crisis Services. There, she also helped establish the first Mental Health Court and served as the Director. Prior to that, she was employed at the Charlotte Correctional Institute in Punta Gorda as a Therapist; the Suncoast Child Protection Team in Pinellas Park as a Child Protection Specialist; and the State of Florida, Division of Vocational Rehabilitation as a Senior Vocational Rehabilitation Counselor in Clearwater.
Early on in life, Dr. Sicard was drawn to serving people in need. As a teenager, she worked in a nursing home on the night shift to help pay her way through college. “I realized that a lot of people die alone,” Dr. Sicard said. “Coming from a large family, it affected me to see that, and I have never forgotten it. It left a deep impression on me.”
At Catholic Charities, Dr. Sicard is motivated to establish a sense of community through programs and services. “The component of belonging is an important part of any social service program,” she said. “In the history of the world we have always needed each other. We must communicate to every client that they are a valued member of our community and that they can contribute.”
Planning for future demands of services also is top priority for the new director. “We need to be responsible in how we serve the community and think ahead. Subtle problems, like the economy and the war, build up and become big issues. We need to be forward thinking with helping not only with immediate problems but establish sustainability,” Dr. Sicard said.
For example, as more veterans return from war they will need financial and mental health assistance. And, as the economy continues to lag, more and more families living on the margin will fall into homelessness and unemployment. “They all will require somewhere to turn to get over their crisis,” Dr. Sicard said. “We have to be ready and have resources in place.”
Already, Dr. Sicard has expanded the Counseling Program in Sarasota by adding office sites in Bradenton, Venice, North Port and Port Charlotte. Bilingual English and Spanish speaking therapists are now available at all counseling centers. “There is a strong need for Spanish speaking counselors,” she said.
At St. Martha's Early Learning Center renovation of the facility is underway to offer the preschoolers an expanded learning experience. Also, Bethesda House, Joseph's Place and Casa San Jose are now under one umbrella as HIV/AIDS Ministries of Catholic Charities.
With several well establish existing programs to oversee, Dr. Sicard hopes to develop simple structures internally to maintain services and continue a healthy environment for staff and clients. “I will try to provide systemic changes that will support staff. Often social service providers forget to help themselves. They are not superhuman.
"We are in a time when we are called to show great kindness in not only helping people, but teaching them how to get through tough times and to rely on their community,” Dr. Sicard said. “No matter how briefly we see a client we have to show them that they have hope.”
For more information about Catholic Charities of Sarasota and Manatee Counties, please call 941-379-5119.