A Growing Crisis

For many adults, the first two decades of existence are associated with memories of being carefree and adventurous. It was a time to play, have fun and focus only on the present. As we grow into adulthood, life gets busier and more stressful; there are careers to build, families to raise, bills to pay and so little time to do it all. Sadly, the reality is that youth today often do not feel these positive thoughts about their lives and their mental health is suffering.

According to the CDC, 26% of high school students experienced feelings of persistent sadness and hopelessness in 2009; this grew to 37% in 2019, and 44% in 2021. By 2018, suicide became the second leading cause of death for young people aged 10-24.

The state of local youth mental health is evident in demand for DLC’s crisis care. DLC operates the only Children’s Crisis Stabilization Unit (CCSU) in Collier County. This facility provides immediate access to a safe place for anyone experiencing thoughts of harming themselves or in a mental health emergency. CCSU admissions have increased steadily since 2013. From fiscal year 2021 to 2022, there was an 18% increase in the need for this service.

“This is a time for everyone to pay attention, get involved, and offer hope,” said DLC CEO Scott Burgess. “As a society, we must work together to ensure the wellness and resilience of our future leaders and community members. By acknowledging the challenges faced and looking for solutions, we can all take part in changing these staggering statistics.”

SCHEDULE OF PRESENTATIONS (Learn more and register at DLCenters.org/Events)

Building the Foundation: Infant Mental Health

• This virtual presentation will feature an overview of the cognitive changes that occur in the brains of children ages birth to 3 years. Participants will learn about 10 developmental leaps and strategies to incorporate into their interaction with young children. Self-care tips and emotion management techniques will be discussed and resources will be provided.
  • Children’s Mental Health Awareness Day: May 11, 2023 | 8:30-9:15am and 1:00-1:45pm

Shining the Light on Youth Mental Health

• This virtual presentation will review statistics and data related to the mental health of children and adolescents and will address common challenges for youth, including most prevalent diagnoses. Participants will learn how to recognize warning signs, address concerns, and utilize resources available in the community.
  • May 9^th, 2023 | 12-12:45pm
  • Children’s Mental Health Awareness Day: May 11, 2023 | 9:45 – 10:30am and 2:30 – 3:15pm

Let’s Talk About It!

• This virtual presentation discusses some of the biggest safety concerns among youth: social media, substance use and violence. Participants will learn about prevalence data and trends, and how to have preventative conversations with children and adolescents related to these topics.

• • May 10, 2023 | 12 – 12:45pm
  • Children’s Mental Health Awareness Day: May 11, 2023 |11 – 11:45am and 4 – 4:45pm

The Power of Community (Question, Persuade, Refer [QPR] Suicide Prevention Training)

• This in-person presentation features an overview of mental health, common challenges and warning signs, how to discuss concerns with others, and available resources. Each attendee will be trained in Question, Persuade, Refer (QPR): an evidence-based suicide prevention certification. A tour of DLC and refreshments will be provided.
  • May 20, 2023 | 10am – 12:30pm at the Telford Building on DLC’s Main Campus

Youth Mental Health First Aid

• Through this in-depth interactive training, attendees earn a three-year certification and will learn to identify concerns by better understanding signs and symptoms and risk factors. By focusing on real-life scenarios, participants will develop, and practice, the skills learned to support and intervene in crisis situations. Trainings include two hours of self-paced content, followed by a 4.5-hour, instructor-led session.
  • May 26, 2023 | 9am to 2pm

Event Registration

To learn more about these events or to register, visit DLCenters.org/events or call 239-455-8500.

Education Partner

Children’s Mental Health Awareness Day presentations on May 11th are being supported by the Naples Children & Education Foundation (NCEF). As a leader in NCEF’s Mental Health Initiative, David Lawrence Centers collaborates with other nonprofits to implement groundbreaking programs that aids in identifying and preventing children’s mental health issues. NCEF Blueprint Partners exemplify the highest efficacy standards, and also include Florida State University College of Medicine, Golisano Children’s Hospital, Healthcare Network and NAMI of Collier County.

About David Lawrence Centers

Southwest Florida nonprofit David Lawrence Centers for Behavioral Health (DLC) is a national leader providing compassionate, advanced, and exceptional mental health, substance use, and integrated healthcare solutions, available for children, adolescents and adults. DLC’s innovative treatment includes inpatient, outpatient, residential, and community-based services – a comprehensive system of care funded by community and government support. Each year, DLC serves more than 9,000 people through over 314,000 treatment sessions. To learn more, please call 239-455-8500 or visit www.DLCenters.org.

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“Hurricane Ian had a devasting impact on our community – both physically and mentally –  causing financial hardships for our clients and an increase in demand for our services over the last year,” said Scott Burgess DLC CEO.”

An estimated 70% of DLC clients are underinsured or uninsured and require some form of assistance to access their behavioral healthcare due language, transportation, and financial barriers. DLC tries to eliminate these barriers by working with donors to fund interpretation services, provide financial assistance for treatment programs and services, and assist with transportation. Transportation assistance is not reimbursed by state/county funding, insurance, or client fees.

“Over 500 at-risk clients received transportation assistance last year to ensure they can access care, maintain treatment, and stay safe,” added Burgess. “We are so grateful to have this increased support and improve continuity of care to critical and often life-saving behavioral healthcare.”

Southwest Florida nonprofit David Lawrence Centers for Behavioral Health (DLC) is a national leader providing compassionate, advanced, and exceptional mental health, substance use, and integrated healthcare solutions, available for children, adolescents and adults. DLC’s innovative treatment includes inpatient, outpatient, residential, and community-based services – a comprehensive system of care funded by community and government support. Each year, DLC serves more than 9,000 people through over 314,000 treatment sessions. To learn more, please call 239-455-8500 or visit www.DLCenters.org

The post David Lawrence Centers Receives $10,000 Transportation Grant from Trinity-by-the-Cove Episcopal Church appeared first on David Lawrence Centers for Behavioral Health.

To improve access to care in Collier County, Home Base Florida and David Lawrence Centers for Behavioral Health (DLC), the largest non-profit behavioral health treatment center in Collier County, announced a clinical partnership to offer mental health and substance use services for Veterans and military families who call Southwest Florida home – at no cost. State Senator Kathleen Passidomo, Home Base Honorary Director, 4-Star General Fred Franks (USA-Ret.), DLC CEO Scott Burgess and many other government officials and community partners were on hand for the announcement.

“I was blown away by the Home Base concept, program, and their future plans,” said Senator Kathleen Passidomo. “When they told me they were going to do a partnership with David Lawrence Centers, I said, ‘Where do I sign up?’ Florida is the most Veteran friendly state in the country, and we want to keep it that way. We want to make sure that our Veterans come back to Florida and can be successful and thrive. We want to help their families. That’s the goal. I look forward to hearing the success of the Home Base program in Collier County.”

Staffed by DLC’s clinical team, Veterans can receive evidence-based clinical care for a variety of mental and emotional health needs, including post-traumatic stress, depression, anxiety, anger, grief and loss, and transitional challenges. Behavioral health services will be provided at no cost to Veterans, service members, and their families, regardless of ability to pay, experience level, or discharge status. The Home Base outpatient clinical services at DLC also offer a multidisciplinary approach to care and complements Home Base Florida’s Warrior Health & Fitness Program, which has served as a platform for hundreds of local Veterans to come together, reconnect with other members of the military community, and embark on a path towards long-term wellness.

“Eight years ago, Home Base Florida was created to help fill an important need for our Veterans transitioning from military service, and we are proud to expand our mission once again,” said Home Base Florida’s Program Director and U.S. Marine Veteran Armando Hernandez. “This partnership with DLC will ensure Veterans, impacted by the invisible wounds of war, receive access to timely and quality medical care.”

DLC clinicians received extensive clinical training in evidence-based therapies for post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) by Home Base’s clinical experts from Massachusetts General Hospital, which is one of the leading psychiatry departments in the nation. DLC will participate in weekly phone consultations to ensure the best care is delivered to Southwest Florida Veterans, and will work in tandem with Home Base staff to best serve each patient, ensuring that no Veteran—and his or her family—falls through the cracks.

Improving access to services for Veterans, as well as increasing evidence-based practices, is outlined in Collier County’s new five-year strategic plan for mental health and addiction services. The Board of County Commissioners approved plan serves as a road map for community partners, donors, and government leaders as they mobilize responses to address associated current and future challenges.

DLC recently launched a new Veterans Services Program designed to build meaningful partnerships with Veterans and their families to help them function better at home, in the community, on the job, in educational settings, and throughout life. Through the program, a Peer Veteran Case Manager helps Veterans access evidence-informed, trauma-specific treatments such as the new cognitive processing therapy (CPT).

CPT will complement many of the advanced, holistic, and proven therapies DLC has available for local Veterans, including Trauma Incident Reduction (TIR), Dialectical Behavioral Therapy (DBT), Veteran’s Treatment Court, mindfulness, and much more – all now accessible at no cost to Veterans through this new collaboration with Home Base Florida.

“It is an honor to partner with Home Base Florida to help expand these life-saving services in Collier County for our heroes who served our country so valiantly,” said DLC President and CEO Scott Burgess. “This additional support will help many struggling Veterans in our community to not only survive, but thrive, and we couldn’t be more excited to be a catalyst in that process.”

Emphasizing the need for local mental health treatment access, retired US Army Veteran Matthew Loebs spoke about his personal journey in seeking care, noting that like many other Veterans impacted by post-traumatic stress, it was difficult to overcome the stigma to seek help and extremely difficult to find reliable, well-trained professionals to provide treatment.

“The Home Base intensive clinical program was the ignition source to giving me my life back,” said Loebs. “I realized there that all of us had different stories, but the outcomes were the same. We were all dealing with anxiety and depression that led to relationship issues and poor coping mechanisms such as alcohol or drug use and isolation. Home Base provided an environment where we could be vulnerable to let it all out, and then provided us with the tools to cope and heal in a healthy way. PTSD never goes away, but Home Base taught me how to live a fulfilled life with my trauma and gave me the skills to restore the most important part of my life – my family.”

Every day, Veterans are taking their own lives at a troubling rate, and it’s one that continues to climb. Suicides among post-9/11 Veterans are four times as high as combat deaths. Each year, more than 6,000 U.S. Veterans take their own lives, including more than 500 in Florida.

Tragically, since 2010, more than 65,000 Veterans nationally have died by suicide – more than the total number of deaths from combat during the Vietnam War and the operations in Iraq and Afghanistan combined. “Home Base and DLC are partnering to help stem the tide of Veteran suicide and to provide healing and hope to those that have sacrificed so much for our country,” said Home Base Chief Operating Officer Michael Allard.

“It takes tremendous courage for a Veteran to step forward and ask for help – not all trauma of war or service is physical or apparent, and many of our returning service members need care and support,” said Home Base Florida Honorary Director, four-star General (USA ret) Fred Franks, Vietnam and Desert Storm Veteran, who began Home Base SWFL in early 2014 with the Warrior Health & Fitness Program with a vision of being able to offer the full family of Home Base programs. “The establishment of these clinical services is the fulfillment of a trust. The trust between our Nation, our communities and our Veterans—that when their mission and duties are complete, we will be there for them at home.”

The Home Base Florida Outpatient Services at DLC are now available for appointments. Please contact Home Base at 239-338-8389, or visit www.HomeBase.org/florida

About Home Base Florida

Home Base is one of the first and largest non-profits in the country dedicated to healing the invisible wounds of war through clinical care, wellness, training and research – all at no cost to our Veterans and Families.  Concerned by the rising suicides and health challenges our Florida Veterans were facing when they returned home, Home Base opened Home Base Florida in 2014.  Partnering with Florida Gulf Coast University, Lee Health, Tampa General Hospital and now David Lawrence Centers, Home Base Florida provides world-class clinical care, wellness-based programs and peer support for Veterans, Service Members, and their Families. All care and support are provided at no cost, regardless of ability to pay, experience level or discharge status.  To learn more about Home Base Florida or to connect to care, visit www.homebase.org/florida.

About David Lawrence Centers

Southwest Florida nonprofit David Lawrence Centers for Behavioral Health (DLC) is a national leader providing compassionate, advanced, and exceptional mental health, substance use, and integrated healthcare solutions, available for children, adolescents and adults. DLC’s innovative treatment includes inpatient, outpatient, residential, and community-based services – a comprehensive system of care funded by community and government support. Each year, DLC serves more than 9,000 people through over 300,000 treatment sessions. To learn more, please call 239-455-8500 or visit www.DLCenters.org.

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Two of our clinicians — Britten Grayden and Kylie Sumner — each recently earned prestigious certificates, adding on to their credentials. Both work in our Crossroads addiction recovery program.

Britten, who joined our team in November 2020 and holds a Master of Arts in Counseling for Co-Occurring Disorders, recently became a Certified Addiction Counselor through the Florida Certification Board. To qualify, she had to complete 2,000 hours or related work experience and some form of higher learning. Through the process, she attended trainings for Brainspotting and Eye Movement Desinsitiziation and Reprocessing (EMDR), equipping her to provide trauma therapy.

Britten describes her work like this: “I provide psychotherapy, basically talk therapy, focusing on helping clients learn new ways to relate to their internal and external worlds. We talk extensively about mindfulness, and I encourage the development of a meditation practice.”

Britten says she got into the field “as a result of my own recovery,” and that she wants to help clients “learn how to love and accept themselves and begin to practice using their own internal abilities to cope with and enjoy everything life has to offer.”

Now pursuing a PhD in Psychology, Britten says her work at DLC is “absolutely what wakes me up in the morning and drives me through the day. I get a thrill from witnessing the light come on within a person and see them love themselves and live their lives again.”

“Britten is a passionate, motivated, highly skilled, mindful, positive, and compassionate clinician,” says Erin Lyristakis, Crossroads Clinical Supervisor. “Her motivation and passion drive her to continue to grow her skills to help our clients.”

Kylie, meanwhile, recently earned her certification in Traumatic Incident Reduction (TIR), which entailed a 24-hour workshop, 50 hours of sessions under supervision, two videos of TIR being conducted, and many documentations. She says she pursued the certification so that she could “provide the best trauma therapy that I can.”

She describes TIR as “a very intense technique” for helping clients who have suffered trauma or major loss. “It can also be used with people who suffer from unwanted feelings, emotions, sensations, attitudes, or pains,” she says, adding that sessions can last anywhere from 45 minutes to several hours, depending on circumstances. A session will end when the client “has thoroughly completed an examination of past traumas,” with the goal of making those memories powerless to continue to cause pain and suffering.

Kylie, who has a Masters in Mental Health Counseling, says TIR is especially effective in combating substance use disorders, because many of those who suffer “have an underlying issue in which they try to compartmentalize and numb, most of these being abuse and trauma.”

Kylie got into the mental health field after working in a prison in another state while pursuing her undergraduate degree. “I spoke with so many offenders not receiving the help they needed, both in mental health services and substance use treatment. Because of this, I knew I wanted to pursue helping people who are often so stigmatized and shunned for their past behaviors and actions.”

She says there are many satisfactions about her job at DLC, including helping those who are in need and watching them progress in their recovery.

Lyristakis describes Kylie as “an amazing addition” to the DLC team. “She is highly skilled, motivated, reliable, professional, and a team player. She focuses on solutions; she sees a problem and focuses on how to come to a solution with clients, herself, and the team. She easily builds rapport with clients to help them.”

A big congratulations to Britten and Kylie for these certifications!

The post DLC Employee Spotlight – Pursuing Professional Growth appeared first on David Lawrence Centers for Behavioral Health.

But he doesn’t care. Because for him, it’s not about the competition. It’s all about raising funds and awareness for DLC . . . and having a little fun while he’s at it.

For the fourth straight year, Michaels and his good friend Joe Stusek are co-chairing the Chip in for DLC golf fundraiser, which will be held Friday, October 22 at Quail Creek Country Club. Both Michaels and Stusek are leaders in DLC’s Young Executives, a group of young adult advocates for mental health and substance use awareness, and particularly for DLC.

Michaels, 27, is Treasurer/Secretary of the Young Executives, and Stusek, 32, is Vice Chair.

Like Michaels, Stusek isn’t particularly concerned about his score in the tournament. He grew up in Montana, mostly playing other sports, and only took up golf in recent years. “I enjoy it,” he says, “but I only play occasionally.”

Stusek, an attorney with Cummings & Lockwood LLC, says he first heard about DLC and the Young Executives from former associates. He was interested in mental health and decided to get more involved.

Michaels, a senior associate with Halstatt Real Estate Partners, became interested in mental health because his older brother works in research, advocacy, and management roles focused on suicide prevention and quality of care for those in mental health treatment programs.

“Seeing the contributions he has made and personally learning about the impact mental health has on our families, friends, and community has inspired me to get involved,” says Michaels.

Michaels and Stusek are recruiting individuals and teams for the tournament. It’s not only for a great cause, but the co-chairs also guarantee a good time.

“We have such a great team in place that, despite the prep work and setup involved, when the actual tournament is being played, Joe and I are still able to get out on the course and have a fun time,” says Michaels. “You can have a great time supporting and raising money for DLC.”

All proceeds from the tournament benefit DLC and help provide life-saving and life-changing treatment services for children and adults who experience mental health, emotional, psychological, and substance use challenges.

Learn more about the Young Executives here. Learn more about the golf event here.

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Pat’s passion for community spans a lifetime. Much of his advocacy work was through his role as a trustee in his family’s foundation, The Stranahan Foundation of Toledo, Ohio, where he was from. The Foundation was a labor of love that kept him engaged and active later in life in the communities of Toledo and Naples where he had residences.

When Pat and Robin moved to Naples, they became passionately involved in the work DLC was doing both personally and through his work with The Stranahan Foundation. Since 1998, Pat and Robin have personally donated to DLC’s mission through a variety of endeavors. When a need arose, they helped fill the gap. When Robin became an active volunteer on special event committees and eventually the David Lawrence Foundation Board of Directors, Pat supported her every step of the way. Through countless gala sponsorships, auction item donations and eventually serving alongside her as co-chair of the 2017 Magical Musical Tour Gala. They opened their homes for friendraisers and hosted fabulous wine dinners and introduced the DLC mission to their friends to encourage their support. They were also founding members of the DLC Giving Society.

Over the years, Pat brought their passion for mental health and addiction treatment to The Stranahan Foundation board and successfully advocated for a variety of grants that funded life-saving, life-changing programs including mental and substance use treatment for the uninsured and underserved, adult case management services, psychological testing and psychiatric services for children as well as DLC’s innovative children’s programs such as juvenile drug court and specialized therapeutic foster care. They also invested in bringing new and emerging treatment capabilities such trauma incident training for clinicians – a program that continues to have a profound impact on DLC clients suffering from PTSD and crippling anxiety. One recent grant funded the purchase of a new van to transport clients in the Crossroads Addiction Recovery program as well as the Children’s Partial Hospitalization program to community-based supports. The van also transports homeless clients to outpatient appointments from homeless shelters.

“Pat was one of the brightest, most sincere and stately gentlemen I have ever met. Robin and he were among some of the first individuals I met when I moved to Naples and they so warmly welcomed my family to the community,” said Scott Burgess, DLC CEO. “I shall always remember his deep kindness, Pat’s concern for all in need, and his amazing partnership with DLC to bring help and hope to those struggling.”

Pat’s incredible legacy as a true champion of the community will live on in all who he graciously helped and through the many organizations that he generously, powerfully and wonderfully supported.

Not only did Pat give financially through many different fundraising initiatives, he selflessly donated his time and energy. His passion never wavered.

Pat will never be forgotten. His memory will live on in the lives he helped save, the families that were held together, the children who succeeded, and in the improved quality of life of so many who received the support they desperately need.

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Over the next several months, Healthy Minds will have scheduled resource events, announced to the community, in various locations throughout the region. Each resource event will have a small team of professionals available to offer behavioral health screenings at no cost. The screening results will be discussed, and recommendations for services may be made. Attendees will have the opportunity to be linked directly with services if desired, and they will learn more about the resources available to them in their area. Visit Healthylee.com/healthyminds/ to learn more.

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Collier County Judge Janeice Martin says she’s a “fan of second chances.”

That’s why she enjoys her role overseeing Drug Court, which seeks to help defendants with a felony charge who also have a substance use disorder. Drug Court sentences individuals to a program of therapy and rehabilitation, rather than incarceration, in the hope that they’ll break the cycle of crime and addiction and become productive members of society.

It seems to be working well—so well, in fact, that the Collier County Drug Court Team recently received national recognition for their excellence. DLC plays a significant role in the program, helping people to battle and overcome their struggles.

The National Drug Court Institute (NCDI) and the Bureau of Justice Assistance recently named the Collier County Drug Court Team into its 2020 Mentor Court Network. Our team was one of just eight nationwide to receive this recognition.

“We’re really proud that the national folks thought our team worthy of this,” says Judge Martin. “I hope this pushes us up to our best game.”

Beverly Belli, DLC’s Director of Adult Community Services, says the recognition is a nod to the team’s “level of professionalism and clinical services provided.”

Martin’s courtroom and DLC are joined on the Drug Court Team by the Sheriff’s Office, Probation Office, State Attorney, and Public Defenders Office. The Drug Court program also receives support from Collier County’s Health and Human Services Division.

As a Mentor Court, the Collier team will train teams from around the nation that want to learn how to start or improve their own drug courts. Teams will come to Collier County, observe its drug court practices, and take what they’ve learned back to their communities.

DLC leading the way

Judge Martin said Drug Court—and other problem-solving courts like Mental Health Court and Veterans Court—is thriving mostly because of DLC’s help.

“They have stepped up to lead the way in the evolution of these courts,” she says. “Even when a federal grant expired for this, DLC remained committed, and they’ve always found a way to keep it going. We wouldn’t have this at all without DLC.”

Before she was a Collier County Judge, Martin was an attorney in the field of criminal law, both as a prosecutor and as a defender. So she was keenly aware that many perpetrators needed help with mental health and substance use issues—often more than they needed to be incarcerated.

“I like giving people the opportunity to pursue treatment instead of sending them to jail,” says Judge Martin.

There are many success stories coming out of Drug Court, but Belli and Martin each shared one that particularly stuck with them.

Belli remembers a 30-year-old woman with a special needs child who had a history of opioid use disorder and had been incarcerated for a felony. She almost lost legal rights to her child because of her addiction, but after completing the Drug Court program and staying sober, she now has full custody of her child, a full-time job, and is flourishing.

Martin remembers a man who had been through Drug Court before, but was unsuccessful. Typically, people aren’t allowed to retake the program after failing it, but a clerical error led to the man being admitted a second time.

“And this time, he knew the value of the opportunity from Day One,” says Judge Martin. “He took it for all it was worth. Now he’s five years sober, successful, and happy.”

To learn more about Drug Court, click here.

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Self-Care: Make time to de-stress. Set aside 30 minutes or so to do something you enjoy. By allowing yourself to relax, you will be better prepared to adapt to the changes related to COVID-19 and will be more capable of staying cool, calm, and collected.

Daily Routine: Do your best to stick to a routine. Designate times for schoolwork, chores, down time, dinner, bedtime, etc. This will provide a sense of comfort in knowing what comes next and will keep your household organized. Ensure that everyone is getting an adequate amount of sleeping, eating well, and taking care of hygiene needs.

Stay Connected: Utilize technology to socialize with family and friends that you are physically separated from. Allow kids to use social media, within reason and under your supervision. They can virtually eat lunch with their friends, work on school lessons together, play games, and more.

Check-in: Communicate openly with your kids to see how they are feeling. Make sure they are using healthy coping skills when they are feeling frustrated or sad. Help them to be informed about what is going on but keep it positive. Assure them that everything will be okay, and limit the amount of exposure to news reporting on COVID-19; one daily update is more than enough.

Make Plans: Discuss things that you can do together when this is all over. Decide on a few ideas and continue to talk about it once or twice a week. This will give everyone something to look forward to and will be a constant reminder to ensure it will happen when the time comes.

Be a Good Example: Pay close attention to what you are saying and doing. Your kids are listening and watching much more than usual these days. Use this as the time to show them how to handle stress effectively and how to be kind and respectful to one another. Now is the time to truly practice what you preach!

Have Fun: Explore ways to keep you and the kids busy and having fun together. Do an art project to add to your home’s décor, surround yourselves with blankets and have a cozy movie marathon, go on a neighborhood scavenger hunt…these are just a few ideas to get you started!

You’re Not Alone: Remember that this is new to us all. Teachers are putting countless hours into shifting their lessons online, doctors and other providers are exploring ways to meet health needs through virtual platforms, grocers are working to keep their shelves stocked with household needs, and we are all doing our best to push on for better days. Be patient. Be kind. Be safe.

Informational Sites for Parents

childmind.org/coping-during-covid-19-resources-for-parents

-Information related to coping strategies, behavior concerns, dealing with loss, self-care, and more.

coronavirus.gov

-Up to date information developed by the CDC with prevention and protection recommendations

nami.org

-National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) website with great information relating to taking care of your mental health, easing children’s anxiety dealing with COVID-19 and more

kidshealth.org/en/parents/social-media-smarts.html

-Information for parents, teens, and children about the pros and cons of social media and how to use it safely

rochester.kidsoutandabout.com/content/250-creative-ways-keep-your-family-sane-during-covid-19-crisis

-250 ideas for things you can do with your kids at home to relieve boredom including games, science experiments, simple home improvement projects and more

verywellfamily.com/self-care-for-parents-4178010

-15 self-care strategies for parents

Community Resources

David Lawrence Centers, davidlawrencecenter.org, 239.491.7602

-Virtual or in person services for behavioral health needs, with program options for all ages and Emergency/Crisis Services available 24/7

Collier County Sheriff’s Office, colliersheriff.org, 239.252.9300

-Parent resources available via website and through Youth Resource Center, call 911 for immediate assistance in the case of an emergency

The Shelter for Abused Women & Children, naplesshelter.org, 239.775.1101

-Emergency hotline number and shelter for women and children in domestic violence situations

The Center for Progress and Excellence Mobile Crisis Unit, progressandexcellence.com/mobile-crisis, 844.395.4432

-Mobile crisis response arriving within 60 minutes at no cost

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That’s the idea behind the new Hospital Bridge Program, a collaboration between DLC, Physicians Regional Medical Center (PRMC), and NCH Healthcare System (NCH), and funded by a grant from the Florida Department of Children and Families.

The Bridge program provides peer recovery support and outreach services to individuals experiencing substance use issues in the hospital emergency departments of PRMC and NCH. Peer support services include peer mentoring and education; recovery coaching; referral and linkage to treatment services; and assistance with coordination of services.

As someone who formerly suffered with an addiction to heroin, crack, and alcohol, Jake Ponsky (pictured at right, above) is now five years sober and a Peer Recovery Specialist in the Hospital Bridge Program.“These individuals are often looking for a peer, not someone in a lab coat,” says Ponsky. “I can tell them that I used to be right where they are, and hopefully I can help. They tend to listen.”

Ponsky’s goal is to get the person into a detox or treatment program, either at one of the local medical facilities or at DLC’s Crossroads residential rehab program.

Ponsky remembers one particular client who had just about given up on life after a crushing relapse. “I was able to sit with him, feel his pain, understand, and even talk about my own relapse,” says Ponsky. “I was just trying to sow hope, telling him that I believed in him. I said, ‘We can do this together, you and I.’”

The client listened, continued with his detox and treatment, and regained his sobriety. The Hospital Bridge Program has been implemented successfully in other parts of Florida, mostly to address the opioid epidemic. Ponsky is one of two peer specialists representing DLC in local emergency rooms.

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