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HOPE

for
COLLIER:

Building Stronger Minds Together

by Scott Burgess,
David Lawrence Centers for Behavioral Health,
President and CEO
ora’s preschool aged son David was emergency screening and triage around the clock and greatly expand
throwing multiple tantrums every the number of crisis beds for adults experiencing a serious mental
Nday. It seemed like everything health crisis.
made him angry. “It was very upsetting,” • The 13,500 quare foot Access and Integrated Care Center to
says Nora. “I felt like I wasn’t a good increase the capacity for addressing behavioral health urgent care,
mother.” She brought him to David medical/primary care, drug treatment, trauma focused therapy for
Lawrence Centers for Behavioral Health veterans, and much more.
(DLC), where he was diagnosed with • The 25,000 square foot Van Domelen Children’s Center for
adjustment disorder, typified by an overreaction to change or stress. Excellence, which will double the capacity from 15 beds to 30. This
Nora wasn’t a bad mom; she just needed help working with her son. project, funded in part by a $10 million gift from the Bill and
After a year in DLC’s children’s outpatient program, David was Julia Van Domelen Foundation, will create a customized space for
“a different child,” says Nora, noting that David rarely loses his children in an environment that will allow for healing and will
temper anymore. impact generations for years to come. It will also double the number
That is just one of thousands of stories I could share about how of children currently being served. To say DLC is grateful for this
DLC has helped children, adults, and families over its 55 years of exceptional support is an understatement.
existence. • A second recovery residence to supplement DLC’s current Hope
But as the population of Collier County has exploded, so have its Home for men who need transitional support in their recovery from
mental health needs. The Collier community is facing the worst mental substance use disorder.
health and substance use crisis in local history, and DLC can barely Hope for Collier also features other renovations at DLC’s main
keep up with the demand for services. campus on Bathey Lane: a new best-in-class program for recruiting
The crisis has led to severe shortages impacting DLC and the area, and retaining highly trained and experienced staff, and an even deeper
including: • Space to meet the rising needs for outpatient care commitment to increase access to care for neighbors.
• Inpatient crisis beds Addiction treatment beds Supported housing With one in four children and adults locally experiencing mental
•
•
and more. health, emotional, or psychological challenges, and one in seven
Worse, both DLC and the community at large are facing a suffering from substance use issues, it is abundantly clear that the time
personnel crisis. There simply aren’t enough highly trained and is now for DLC to advance and expand its leadership as the primary
experienced staff in Collier. The individual-clinician ratio in Collier provider for all of the community's mental health needs.
County is 930:1, compared to the 550:1 average in Florida and 300:1 There is no health without positive mental health, and to truly
in the U.S. have Hope for Collier, it’s critical to work together to build strong and
I’m not exaggerating when I say this is a crisis of epic proportions. resilient minds, which means a greater investment in behavioral health
It’s so acute that DLC is sometimes forced to turn people away because care.
of the lack of available space to provide care. In all, Hope for Collier is a multi pronged, complex effort to address
But all that is beginning to change, thanks to DLC’s new initiative, the local mental health and addiction crisis, and DLC is thankful to
“Hope for Collier: Building Stronger Minds Together.” have some funding already secured, highlighted by the Van Domelen
The initiative, a collaboration between DLC, Collier County, Foundation gift.
entrepreneurs, and private philanthropists, will result in the following At the beginning of this article, I introduced Nora and her son
investments and renovations: David and shared how they were helped. With Hope for Collier, DLC
• The 60,000 square foot Collier County Behavioral Health will be able to help tens of thousands more people like them in the
Center (CCBHC), which will dramatically increase DLC’s capacity, years ahead.
is scheduled to break ground later this year. The CCBHC will provide To learn more about the initiative, about DLC overall, and ways you
can help, please visit DLCenters.org
58 Life in Naples | April 2024