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Naples, Fl – David Lawrence Centers (DLC), Collier County’s only comprehensive, not-for-profit mental health and addiction recovery treatment center serving children, adults and families, is pleased to announce that DLC Immokalee will host a Suicide Awareness Workshop on May 25, 2019 from 10:00 am – 12:00 pm. The event is being hosted at the Boys & Girls Club of Collier County, located at 1155 Roberts Ave. W. in Immokalee.

This first-ever Suicide Awareness Workshop is being held in honor of May’s Mental Health Month and will be hosted by DLC’s Immokalee Satellite Office, which has been dedicated to serving the mental health needs of the Immokalee community at that location for more than 30 years. DLC Immokalee works in partnership with a variety of agencies who support the wellbeing of this growing and diverse, multicultural community.

The workshop is designed to raise community awareness about suicide, and make progress in suicide prevention. The event will be interactive and will include time for attendees to visit community partner education tables and enjoy refreshments.

The objectives for the workshop include:

• Identify potential suicidal risk and protective factors
• Increase general knowledge about suicide
• Improve the ability to respond to a person who might be at risk of suicide
• Provide resources on where to find help in the community

Scott Burgess, President and CEO, said, “My hope is that, someday, we won’t need to designate just a month to focus on mental health, but rather that it will be a part of our everyday conversations about overall health and wellness. Until then, we will continue to encourage the community to come together to start the conversation with events such as this.”

The workshop is being led by Mariana Perez, a bilingual Licensed Mental Health Counselor who serves as the DLC Immokalee Clinical Coordinator. Perez was named the 2018 Distinguished Healthcare Diversity Advocate by the Florida Diversity Council for her leadership and dedication in addressing the unique challenges of the diverse, at-risk population in the Immokalee community. Her passion and leadership to help remove barriers to accessing treatment for those in need also earned her the DLC Employee of the Year Award in 2016 and DLC Team Player Award in 2011.

Perez said, “Nearly half the residents of this largely migrant community live below the poverty line and struggle daily accessing healthcare due to language barriers, transportation and childcare. My goal with this educational community outreach, is to help save lives and remove the stigma of asking for help.”

This event is free and open to the public. Families, healthcare providers, and teachers are encouraged to attend. For more information about the DLC Immokalee Suicide Awareness Workshop, visit DavidLawrenceCenter.org or contact Mariana Perez at (239) 657-4434, ext. 7003 or marianap@dlcmhc.com.

Southwest Florida nonprofit David Lawrence Centers is a national leader in providing world-class mental health and addiction recovery solutions for children, adolescents and adults. The Center’s innovative, integrated treatment includes inpatient, outpatient, residential, and community-based services – a comprehensive system of care funded by community and government support. Each year, David Lawrence Centers creates life-changing wellness for more than 9,600 people through over 266,000 treatment sessions. To learn more, please call (239) 491-7602.