THE RESOURCE FOR BEHAVIORAL HEALTH AND WELLNESS AUGUST/SEPTEMBER 2024
IF YOU CAN VISUALIZE IT, YOU CAN ATTAIN IT
ONE SIZE DOES NOT FIT ALL: THE POWER OF PERSONALIZED RECOVERY
SHIFTING TO A RESILIENCE MINDSET FROM SUFFERING TO SERENITY: RECOVERY THROUGH BUDDHISM
ADDRESSING SUBSTANCE USE DISORDER IN THE FAMILY
PLUS: FROM A BUDDY BENCH TO STUDENT-LED BEHAVIORAL HEALTH INITIATIVES • FLORIDA ATLANTIC UNIVERSITY’S RECOVERY RESEARCH • MOMS ON A MISSION • AND MUCH MORE!
Senator
FEATURE STORY
One Size Does Not Fit All: The Power of Personalized Recovery
THE DRAW
If You Can Visualize It, You Can Attain It
BEYOND THE COUCH Moms on a Mission
THE FOUNTAIN
From a Buddy Bench to Student-led Behavioral Health Initiatives
THE REAL
The 2024 Behavioral Health and Substance Use Disorder Plan
THE WORD
Shifting to a Resilience Mindset
THE RESERVOIR
Addressing Substance Use Disorder in the Family
THE DEPTH
From Suffering to Serenity: Recovery Through Buddhism
CORNER TALK
Future Leaders on How They Prepare for Back to School
THE PROVIDERS
Florida Atlantic University’s Recovery Research
/ LETTER FROM THE EDITOR
JULIE KHANNA EDITOR-IN-CHIEF
“
As a community-directed publication, we are continually seeking new perspectives, resources and recommendations to enrich the lives of our community.
The Well of PBC is a continual work in progress and we are always striving to not only do more, but do better.
As a community-directed publication, we are continually seeking new perspectives, resources and recommendations to enrich the lives of our community.
We do this through our Source column where we encourage our readers to email us with their favorite podcasts, books, documentaries, apps, groups, social media accounts and other suggestions and we also accomplish this end by working with our distribution partners - individuals and groups who believe in the work we do and wish to shine a brighter spotlight on it.
I would like to thank our distribution partners for their investment and engagement in The Well of PBC.
Their commitment not only expands our reach but also enables us to work together to further amplify the voices and concerns of our residents.
If you are interested in joining us on our journey to transform the behavioral health landscape of Palm Beach County, I encourage you to email our marketing manager Katrina Blackmon at: kblackmon@bewellpbc.org.
This issue, we honor September as National Recovery Month - recommitting ourselves to the prevention of substance misuse and highlighting the importance of evidence-based treatment and recovery. We commend the resilience of both those in recovery and those whose tireless support, love and encouragement makes recovery possible.
Enrichment through engagement is the backbone of my communications philosophy.
To truly understand a system, process or culture at a granular level, you need to get in the neighborhoods and engage with the people who are making sustainable change a reality as well as the people whose realities are being changed.
A collaborative relationship built on trust, mutual respect and a shared vision means that we are able to learn more.
Learning more means building the capacity to do more and in turn, that leads to doing better.
For The Well of PBC and for our most important stakeholders - the residents of Palm Beach County.
And to the residents of Palm Beach County who are headed back to school in August - families, faculty and students—we wish you a healthy, safe and successful school year. May you learn, grow, evolve and enjoy the journey to becoming the person you wish to be.
Thank you again to our distribution partners and thank you for being part of the mission:
"To be the primary resource for behavioral health and wellness for Palm Beach County; a safe exchange space for community and an outlet for our neighbors and stakeholders to transform the behavioral health landscape."
To share feedback, obtain advertising information, or contribute, please reach us at thewell@bewellpbc.org.
With
deep appreciation,
MADE POSSIBLE BY OUR INVESTED PARTNER
To be the primary resource for behavioral health and wellness for Palm Beach County; a safe exchange space for community and an outlet for our neighbors and stakeholders to transform the behavioral health landscape.
To share feedback, obtain advertising information, or contribute, please reach us at thewell@bewellpbc.org.
The largest behavioral health publication in Palm Beach County, The Well of PBC is a non-profit magazine which aims to be a communitydirected resource for Palm Beach County residents. Advocating for mental health accessibility is central to our mission and we believe in “walking the walk” when it comes to ensuring every Palm Beach County resident has the opportunity to have their voices heard. We are proud to use our platform to highlight both national and global concerns while remaining focused on local mental health and wellness issues that matter the most to our audience.
/ MEET THE TEAM
PUBLISHER
Lauren is the executive director for the countywide initiative, BeWellPBC, advancing behavioral health and wellness for all residents in Palm Beach County. The Well of PBC is a passion project for Lauren to increase behavioral health awareness, engage diverse perspectives across the county, and promote solutions to address our county’s most complex challenges.
MARKETING MANAGER
Katrina, the founder, and CEO of Unity3 Palm Beach, contributed her expertise in executive advertising spanning over twenty-five years to the launch of The Well of PBC. With her background in local, regional, and national advertising media, she brings a blend of professional acumen and personal values, including her deeprooted commitment to faith, family, and the vibrant multicultural community of Palm Beach County to The Well of PBC and BeWellPBC.
EDITOR-IN-CHIEF
Julie, CEO of Khanna Connections, enjoys using her creativity to help health and wellness industries communicate with their audiences.
CONTRIBUTOR
Melanie, president of Otero Communications, provides consulting services for some of Palm Beach County’s leading nonprofit organizations. With a special interest in behavioral health, she has assisted with the launch of The Well of PBC and serves as a contributing writer.
CREATIVE DIRECTOR
Jessie is a seasoned creative director and designer with fifteen years of experience in print publishing, education, and marketing. With a passion for innovation, she has empowered diverse clients, from arts organizations to Fortune 500 companies, with bespoke marketing solutions and creative project management.
CONTRIBUTOR
Jaime, founder of Rosewood Media, is a West Palm Beach resident, creative and contributing writer to The Well of PBC. With a decade of experience in non-profit communications and a lifetime of experience as a writer, Jaime’s work focuses on behavioral health, diversity, equity and inclusion, travel, music, food and parenthood through a pop culture lens.
CREATIVE TEAM
JULIE KHANNA
JESSIE PRUGH
KATRINA BLACKMON
MELANIE OTERO
JAIME JOSHI ELDER
ALITA FABER
WESTON PROBST
STAMATINA KOKKORIS
LAUREN ZUCHMAN
The HUBs provide care coordination across a continuum of clinical and non-clinical services including housing, transportation, education, vocational, financial, and legal issues.
One Size Does Not Fit All: The Power of Personalized Recovery
By Melanie Otero
Walk into any Starbucks on a given day and you will hear customers ordering their highly-customized coffee drinks. Baristas concoct and announce beverages of choice—“decaf soy hazelnut double shot latte extra hot for David!”
American ingenuity has discovered ways to personalize products and services from coffee to sneakers to Netflix. So why is there a one-size-fits-all approach to addiction, one of the most challenging issues of our time? What if we could customize
a recovery plan for each person struggling with substance use disorder? What if someone could walk into a storefront in their community and a peer could help them create a personalized roadmap with connections and guidance tailored to their life circumstances?
Thanks to the Community Recovery HUB of Palm Beach County (The HUB) we don’t have to imagine. Personalized recovery is here.
Photos courtesy of Dr. Anita Cocoves
“
“There
wasn’t anybody who could organize all of the available services for an individual, to collaborate with county agencies, and deliver a plan to the individual in a way that meets their immediate needs, and then their long-term needs.”
Streamlining Support
Under the leadership of Executive Director Dr. Anita Cocoves, The HUB is establishing a network of community locations designed as “one-stop-shopping” to empower, connect, and advocate for individuals and their families, in all stages of recovery. The first HUBs to open in Delray Beach and Lake Worth Beach are placed in easily accessible neighborhoods with colorful, cozy interiors ready for one-on-one or group gatherings. Riviera Beach and Belle Glade HUBs are slated to open in October 2024 along with three pop-up locations in historically underserved communities.
The HUBs address a fundamental aspect of the county’s Behavioral Health and Substance Abuse Disorder Master Plan : a comprehensive person-centered, recovery-oriented system of care model as shared in The Well of PBC’s June 2023 issue. Funded by the County’s opioid settlement money, the HUBs form a care provider network of coordinated, communitybased services and supports. They operate as a single point of entry for referrals, assessment, and care coordination across a continuum of clinical and nonclinical services—support for life stressors that can create vulnerability to substance use, including housing, transportation, education, vocational, financial, and legal issues. In all aspects, recovery support is centered on individual choice.
To fully comprehend The HUBs, it’s helpful to understand what they are not:
They are not substance use treatment centers or detox facilities.
They are not 12-step meetings or support groups.
They are not harm reduction programs.
There’s a reason for that says Dr. Cocoves.
“People go into an agency and the agency says ‘this is what we have here, this is what we can do for you’; it’s a very paternalistic approach to service provision. But people instinctively know what they need. They know what their priorities are. So when they come into the HUB, we can ask, what do you need? Let us connect you, steer you, offer you helpful tips, because you don’t know what you don’t know.”
As navigators, HUB staff and volunteers—many of whom are peers in recovery—do know what services and benefits are available to help people customize what they need when they need it.
“There wasn’t anybody who could organize all of the available services for an individual, to collaborate with county agencies, and deliver a plan to the individual in a way that meets their immediate needs, and then their long-term needs,” Dr. Cocoves said. “Otherwise people are running all over the county from pillar to post, asking, hoping, pleading, for help and direction. With the HUBs, they have an advocate who has been in their shoes to help them mark the trail.”
Dr. Anita Cocoves, Community Recovery HUB of Palm Beach County Executive Director
Staying the Course
The HUB helps people stay on the trail by plugging into the County’s Recovery Capital Index® (RCI), a web-based platform that tracks and measures individuals’ progress as well as gathers and shares cumulative data for the entire county across three dimensions. Personal capital are tangible and intangible assets like mental well-being and employment. Social capital are the relationships and networks that provide support, encouragement, and resources, such as family, friends, peers, and community connections. Cultural capital encompasses values, beliefs, and community-specific norms.
HUB visitors fill out the RCI survey, a ten-minute questionnaire designed to determine whether their personal, social, and cultural capital supports their recovery or hinders it.
“It’s a great way to enable individuals to take their own inventory in a way that is scientific when they first come in the door,” Dr. Cocoves said. “It’s a way of asking, what do you need? What do you have to get help with?”
Once individuals leave the HUB, the follow-up begins. Like a good friend checking in, the HUB
Community Recovery HUB of Palm Beach County Locations
Delray Beach
2120 W. Atlantic Ave, Delray Beach, FL 33445
Lake Worth Beach
1120 Lucerne Ave, Lake Worth, FL 33460
Coming October 2024: Belle Glade, Riviera Beach, and three pop-up locations to be announced.
For more information:
866-4-PBCHUB
pbchub.org
facebook.com/ ThePalmBeachCountyHub
sends messages to individuals’ phones, creating a stream of guidance and encouragement. And every 30 days they’re asked to update their RCI. Dr. Cocoves believes the connection keeps people from having to go back for treatment time and time again.
“The HUBs pick up where traditional treatment facilities leave off once someone has finished a program,” she said. “What happens the day they walk out the door? How do they get their job back? Or a place to live if their family doesn’t trust them yet? We’re able to reach out and say, ‘Hey, we haven’t seen you in a while. The last time you were here, you were applying for a job. Did that work out for you? Maybe we can steer you in a direction for scholarships. Let’s talk.’”
Each HUB is completely different because what somebody needs in Belle Glade may not be what somebody needs in Delray Beach.
Strengthening Community Unity
In the HUB model, customization is not only for individuals but also for communities.
“Each ZIP code where we have a HUB is completely different from the others,” Dr. Cocoves said. “What somebody needs in Belle Glade may not be what somebody needs in Delray Beach.”
That’s where the HUB advisory committees come in. People recruited from each community provide insights into what their local recovery-oriented system of care should look like. Some may need faith-based organizations to be part of the HUB. Others may need multi-lingual staff and volunteers. Many need to develop trust that the HUBs are there to help them get over the barriers that hold them back from recovery.
“People who were incarcerated need to know how to get their benefits back or the benefits they never even knew were available,” Dr. Cocoves said. “People on disability are petrified they’re going to lose their Social Security disability benefits if they take a job. We can connect people with community partners who will look at their situations and help them design benefits and employment that will work for them.”
Dr. Cocoves sees each HUB’s local connections as vital to building a recovery-oriented community.
“You have a whole community that needs to be recovery-oriented that doesn’t stigmatize folks in recovery and recognizes that substance use is a lifelong condition,” she said. “Employers need to be accepting of that just like any other chronic illness their employees may have. They need to help people who are struggling and relapsing, not punishing them, not discarding them.”
In Delray Beach and Lake Worth, the HUBs are making an impact. Between 60 to 100 people come through the doors monthly. People are getting jobs and finding transitional housing. Private treatment centers are partnering with the HUBs to help their clients as they are discharged. And over 50 Narcan trainings a month are saving lives.
Terry’s Story
“Before finding The HUB, I was lost in the depths of addiction, feeling utterly alone. Walking through those doors was my first step towards recovery, and it turned out to be the family I never had. The love and support I received was heartwarming and divine. They offered me not just supportive words but a lifeline that helped me rebuild myself.
Today, I proudly live a sober life, surrounded by a community that continues to uplift and inspire me. The family I found at The HUB remains by my side, guiding me through every triumph and challenge. Without their unwavering support, I wouldn’t be the person I am today.
To anyone struggling with addiction, I say this: The HUB is more than a Recovery Community Center—it’s a place of hope and transformation. They gave me a second chance at life, and for that, I am forever grateful.”
Looking ahead, Dr. Cocoves plans to offer free training to volunteers through the Recovery Coach Leadership Academy. “We want to educate people who are out in the community that they can make a difference and be a champion to someone with substance use disorder.”
Dr. Cocoves knows the personal joy of being a champion to a 15-year-old in her past.
“We got him through drug court and all the challenges he had. He’s in his 30s now. He has a family and he has a job driving a truck for a local floral distributor. Every time I see him around town, I get a big hug. You can’t put a price tag on that. You just can’t.”
If You Can Visualize It, You Can Attain It
By Brian Wood | www.healingartllc.com | @healingart77
Can you tell us what Healing Art is and who is invited to participate/join?
Healing Art is a private practice that specializes in group counseling and corporate training. With mental health impacting one in five people of all walks of life, we at Healing Art use counseling techniques and the visual arts to provide those we serve with a fun and interactive experience.
Healing Art services multiple areas of South Florida with a staff of five therapists, including occupational therapists, social workers, and mental health counselors. All counselors have a foundation in the visual arts. We provide sessions in medical/clinical settings to address emotional regulation and goal setting. We also provide lunch-and-learn training for businesses and school staff to help with productivity and employee satisfaction.
How does art impact/help healing and recovery?
Areas of the brain that are impacted by the arts are the hippocampus which focuses on memory, the amygdala which focuses on emotions, and the prefrontal cortex which focuses on our thinking.
Visual art helps the brain heal. Having a healthy memory is important, so for those who may struggle with traumatic events, the visual arts can help maintain and restore healthy memories. Art can elicit positive emotions which can help counterbalance negative emotions such as anxiety, fear, or anger to promote mental health and overall wellness. Art can affect our nervous system leading to relaxation, which can then help with our thought processes, and in turn allows us to make healthy choices.
Boys Town of South Florida, ‘Happy’ mural by Brian Wood for their 30 years and 60 thousand kids serviced.
Photos courtesy of Brian Wood
What are the benefits of therapeutic arts?
Therapeutic arts involve use of art mediums during therapeutic sessions. Our model focuses on a directive or lesson plan with both written and visual instructions. Each directive aims to incorporate a psychoeducational topic including stress management, emotional regulation, interpersonal relationships, or conflict management. Using art within mental health helps those with different learning styles, or who might have a challenging time expressing their emotions to open up and connect with the community. Visual arts, in particular, help clients to visualize their past, present, and future in healthy ways.
Is there anything else you want to tell us or share?
We seek to make both a local and global impact to help people prevent life from becoming unmanageable.
You can learn more or access our services for your workplace at www.healingartllc.com or finding us on social media @healingart77
Brian Wood has his Masters in Mental Health Counseling and a Bachelors in Psychology and Art from Palm Beach Atlantic University. He is the coowner of Healing Art therapeutic services, a private practice that services Martin, Palm Beach, and Dade counties. Healing Art works with for-profit and notfor-profit organizations and corporations helping to empower the lives of youth, young adults, and adults by using counseling techniques and the visual arts.
Brian has been working in the field of psychology since 2001 and is also an accomplished painter. Brian has had art shows around Palm Beach County and has also worked with the City West Palm Beach to create a public mural in the downtown area.
The Draw is a space for creatives to share their art, poetry, spoken word, etc. and/or how their art helps themselves and others.
To contribute, send your article ideas to thewell@bewellpbc.org with “The Draw” in the subject line.
Brian Wood presenting at a Palm Health Foundation event.
“VISUAL ART HELPS THE BRAIN HEAL.”
Founders of Our2Sons, Staci Katz and Cindy Singer
“ It takes a community to battle the disease of addiction and support those in recovery.
MOMS ON A MISSION
By Cindy Singer and Staci Katz, Founders | Our2Sons.org
Cindy lost her beloved son, Rory in 2015, from fentanyl poisoning and Staci’s son, Dillon, is battling addiction to this day. These two moms on a mission could not sit idle as their lives and the lives of so many became impacted by the horrific opioid epidemic plaguing our nation.
Their passion to help others drove them to create Our2Sons, a 501c3 non-profit organization, assisting people and their families in all phases of recovery with basic needs that include shelter, transportation, food, clothing and medical services.
How can a parent/caregiver create a supportive environment for their loved one to help them through the recovery process?
The recovery process has so many stages. It is important to remember that we must meet our loved ones where they’re at.
During active addiction, it can be extremely challenging to help but we recommend:
• Creating an environment of open dialogue
• Letting/assuring your loved ones know that you are there for them
• Accepting phone calls
• Keeping the lines of communication open
This leads to the importance of boundaries. If the communication becomes overwhelming, abusive, manipulative, or argumentative, end the phone call with clear boundaries—“I love you. Maybe we can talk tomorrow?”
When a loved one reaches out for help, for example, “I need help; I want to go to treatment; maybe I can go to counseling; I’m in need of medical attention; I’m really very hungry!”—help them.
Photos courtesy of Cindy Singer and Staci Katz
/ BEYOND THE COUCH
If you do not have the means, try and help them connect to people and resources in the community like a Recovery Community Center (RCC) such as The Hub or support groups, such as Allies in Recovery, and AlAnon.
Taking the time to really learn about addiction is invaluable. The language we use, the words we speak and the way we treat our loved ones can change a situation for the better.
Substance Use Disorder is a very lonely disease, for the families as well, and as we tell people in recovery, “The Opposite of Addiction is Connection!”
Can you speak a little about how to maintain the balance between boundaries and support for those in recovery?
Remember that there is a difference between a “hand-out” and a “hand-up.”
It is important for you to allow people to do things for themselves. If not, we can risk creating a situation of learned helplessness. If we do take care of everything for them, the message that they may receive is that they are not capable of doing things for themselves.
It is vital for emotional well-being to keep safe boundaries. This must happen in order to focus on how we can be most helpful.
How do you maintain your own mental health while helping your child through this difficult time?
We have made a conscious decision to “put our pain to purpose.” We believe that every person is an individual and the sooner we start treating people as such, the sooner we will be able to move forward.
Helping others does indeed help us. With every task we take on, every phone call we receive, every person we can connect with and every tear we shed, we hang on to the most powerful thing of all—HOPE!
We see the despair and devastation that this disease causes but we also see recovery is possible, so anything we can do to make someone’s day a little brighter and their load a little lighter, we are closer to the goal—to help one is to help many!
What are some tips you would offer parents in Palm Beach County who are seeking mental health resources?
Educate yourselves and seek out Recovery Community Centers as well as local support groups.
Remember to advocate for your loved ones fiercely. After all, you are their voice. We love people when they cannot love themselves.
Both Cindy and Staci have won various civic awards and accolades as they serve to be a light for others in the community and encourage people to “help us help others.”
They maintain a Facebook page (Our2Sons) with approximately 2500 members.
It takes a community to battle the disease of addiction and support those in recovery. The support received by the non-profit organization allows the moms to extend lifelines to so many people, possibly helping to change lives, encourage broken spirits, and replace shame with courage, one person at a time.
Beyond The Couch highlights non-traditional mental health outlets and resources in Palm Beach County.
To contribute, send your article ideas to thewell@bewellpbc.org with “Beyond the Couch” in the subject line
Cindy and Staci appeared on CNN to discuss the impact Our2Sons is making for Palm Beach County families struggling with addiction.
Cindy Singer with late son Rory in 2013.
FROM A BUDDY BENCH TO STUDENT-LED BEHAVIORAL HEALTH INITIATIVES
By The Well of PBC staff and Jennifer Schneider, LCSW School Behavioral Health Professional at Panther Run Elementary School
On February 12th, 2021, a Buddy Bench was dedicated to Panther Run Elementary School. The bench was sponsored by the Rotary Club of Wellington and the purpose of the Bench and the Buddy Ambassadors Program is to promote kindness, empathy, compassion, and inclusivity in children, to create a Buddy Culture in Schools.
Three years later, the students at Panther Run are creating and implementing their own behavioral health and wellness projects to promote a culture of kindness at our school.
“Behavioral Health initiatives for children have been a priority of the Palm Beach County School District for many years and promoting the social-emotional
well-being of children leads to better academic, social and health outcomes,” said Jennifer Schneider, LCSW, School Behavioral Health Professional at Panther Run Elementary School. “Since the COVID pandemic, we have noticed more children with delays in the development of these essential life skills. Now more than ever, it is important to take a proactive approach to meeting the behavioral health needs of our children.”
Each year, more students are recognized and participate in the Buddy Ambassador program and as the program evolves, the Buddy Ambassadors were eager to create kindness projects. They began with Random Acts of Kindness which led to the first schoolwide project— Kindness Drawings for every classroom on the campus.
Photo courtesy of Jennifer Schneider
Jennifer standing with Loverly Sheridan, the author of “Be a Buddy, Not a Bully” and the Founder of Buddy Ambassadors.
/ THE FOUNTAIN
By the end of the third year, the Buddy Ambassadors were asking to do more. They wanted to go beyond helping those in need to influencing their peers to be kinder to one another.
“Children are reporting feeling more mistreatment and disrespect from their peers,” Jennifer said. “In our work at Panther Run, we have found two common causes of peer conflic—misunderstandings and ineffective problem solving. Our children missed out on learning and developing these foundational social-emotional skills during the pandemic. Our children want to do better and be better, but they need the knowledge and skills to get back what was lost.”
To help our Buddy Ambassadors grow and develop their skills, we implemented the Safe School Ambassadors Program for a select group of 4th and 5th Grade Buddy Ambassadors. This program, along with the Elevating Student Voices Initiative, led to another floodgate of ideas from our Buddy Ambassadors. Two of these student-led initiatives began this year.
The first initiative, Kindness Paws, mirrors the Positive Behavioral Supports (PBS) program at Panther Run. With PBS, teachers recognize students for positive behaviors; but with the Buddy Ambassadors initiative, students recognize their peers for kindness and compassion.
A student at Panther Run was struggling to find a friend group at school and she felt disconnected from her peers. She had friends outside of school, but she wasn’t connecting with anyone in her class in spite of being a kind and caring student. Her teacher decided to nominate her as a Buddy Ambassador. Going through the Buddy Ambassador program, she spent time listening to her peers and using skills like empathy to help them solve problems. Over time, she found her place among her peers and she became one of the students to spearhead our newest initiative, the Morning Support Squad, who were trained and supported in using techniques and strategies for effective communication and problem solving.
All of us at Panther Run are excited to see our students take the lead in their own growth and the growth of their peers. We believe our students are on a path to having a huge impact, making our campus brighter, building positive and healthy peer relationships, and spreading kindness.
“
Our children want to do better and be better, but they need the knowledge and skills to get back what was lost.
"The Fountain is the space for youth contributors and youth related topics. To contribute, send your article ideas to thewell@bewellpbc.org with “The Fountain” in the subject line."
The 2024 Behavioral Health and Substance Use Disorder Plan
According to the Executive Brief released by the Palm Beach County Board of County Commissioners, the 2024 Behavioral Health and Substance Use Disorder Plan details the number of initiatives and strategies recommended to achieve a true person-centered, recovery-oriented system of care. The Plan also provides preliminary recommendations for the use of Opioid Settlement Funds. These recommendations were developed by the Palm Beach County Advisory Committee on Behavioral Health, Substance Use and Co-Occurring Disorders (BHSUCOD), community members, key stakeholders and facilitated by Palm Beach County Community
Services staff. The development of the 2024 Plan was built upon the 2022 Plan foundation and continued the well-established process of receiving regular input from community members through monthly facilitated BHSUCOD full member meetings, sub-committee meetings open to community member participation and community forums. A draft of the 2024 Plan was publicly released in advance of BHSUCOD review and discussion at its March 14, 2024 Special Meeting. The Plan includes overarching priority recommendations as well as recommendations for opioid settlement funds, prevention and education, public policy, public safety and the justice system, treatment and recovery, essential services, evaluation and monitoring, faithbased engagement and the addiction stabilization unit.
CLICK HERE TO WATCH THE VIDEO ON YOUTUBE
From community events to county-wide campaigns, The Real shows us what’s really going on in the county.
Submit your event photos or news to thewell@bewellpbc.org.
The Well of PBC would like to offer individuals, resident groups, businesses, organizations, funders, and city and county entities the opportunity to sponsor an issue, feature story, or purchase an advertisement
Join the movement, share your resource, and pour into The Well.
To learn how to become a Sponsor contact Katrina Blackmon at Email:
Thought leaders convene at the Mental Health Marketing Conference.
SHIFTING TO A RESILIENCE MINDSET
By David Whitesock | CEO and Founder | Commonly Well
Whenthe public hears the word “recovery” they tend to have a negative view of those people. This stigma persists despite incredible efforts to educate the public and show more people living in recovery. It might be time to move from the term recovery to something more inclusive and relatable for every human that has ever and will ever live: resilience.
In 2021, Shatterproof released a study looking at the stigma associated with addiction and recovery. Two stats stand out.
52% said they would be unwilling to have a person in recovery marry into their family. 78% said no to a person with an active addiction.
51% said they would be unwilling to have a person in recovery as their work supervisor. 83% said they would not want their supervisor to have an active addiction.
In 12 other categories or circumstances measured by Shatterproof, on average, 30% of respondents were unwilling to associate or support people in recovery.
There’s a lot more going on here than word choice (addiction versus substance use disorder versus recovery versus sober). Even though high-profile celebrities and millions of others have proudly displayed their positive and transformational recovery experiences, the public hasn’t budged. They are still skeptical of people in recovery.
Why?
It might simply be that the word “recovery” is too strongly associated with sobriety or abstinence. Abstinence is essentially a pass-fail test. And unfortunately, almost everyone attempting to overcome an addiction fails that test once or twice. The negative experiences of those “failures” by families, friends, and co-workers are deeply retained and projected upon anyone else associated with those words.
Is there another approach or framing that could collectively shift our mindset?
The idea of resilience may be that shift.
“Resilience” is defined by happiness researcher and psychologist Tal Ben-Shahar as, “When pressure is put on a system, after the pressure is lifted, that system goes back to its original form.” Psychologists have long researched people’s ability to bounce back or adapt to difficult life experiences.
Returning to our original form is okay, but that’s merely survival not growth. Beyond resilience is “anti-fragility.” When you put pressure on a system, or a person, it grows bigger and stronger.
The research shows that people who say they actively pursue happiness are more likely to experience depression. In our own work measuring recovery capital, we have found that people who identify as being “in recovery” have lower recovery capital than those who describe themselves as “recovered” or “well.”
Nikki Soda and David Whitesock
Micah Robbins, community substance use prevention leader and recovery and treatment advocate with David Whitesock.
Happiness, like recovery, is clearly a good thing, but as Ben-Shahar says, valuing happiness (or recovery) as a good thing is problematic.
The answer, according to Ben-Sharar, is to pursue happiness indirectly. That’s why shifting to notions of resilience and resilience capital is so important. Resilience capital is the collection of elements that people and communities can access and draw upon in the indirect pursuit of wellness and happiness.
In Palm Beach County, we are attempting to measure and map those elements of resilience. This county-wide study of resilience capital will help be an antidote to what’s plagued recovery efforts for so long. By expanding the view to the entire community, we can see what ails, strengthens, and grows all of us. From that data, the community can take focused action upon the indirect elements of resilience and by extension raise our overall levels of resilience (and anti-fragility).
A shift to this resilience mindset can move the needle on addiction and mental health. It will have ripple effects on poverty, homelessness, social justice, and income inequality. But we must measure more than just the problem. We must expand our view and commit to taking action on bold, data-supported solutions.
“A SHIFT TO THIS RESILIENCE MINDSET CAN MOVE THE NEEDLE ON ADDICTION AND MENTAL HEALTH.”
The Word is a broad topic space for contributing writers (a.k.a the community) to share your stories of behavioral health or anything self-care related i.e. fitness, health, educational, parenting, hobbies, wellness, etc. To contribute, send your article ideas to thewell@bewellpbc.org with “The Well” in the subject line.
David Whitesock at the Mental Health Marketing Conference
Addressing Substance Use Disorder in the Family
by Palm Beach County Community Services and Allies in Recovery
If you know someone—especially a family member —who struggles with substance use disorder (drugs or alcohol), you probably have felt like nothing you say or do gets through to them.
Or that nothing you say comes out sounding right.
Or maybe you feel you are tiptoeing around on eggshells.
Sound familiar?
If this is you, there is a proven way to not only improve your communication and understanding, but also to have a greatly positive effect on moving your loved one toward recovery and/or staying in recovery longer.
All residents of Palm Beach County can access this approach for free.
The Community Services Department of Palm Beach County has partnered with the national organization Allies in Recovery. Allies in Recovery teaches the approach called CRAFT* that trains family members how to connect better with a loved one with substance use disorder AND trains families to help address it.
Hundreds of people in Palm Beach County who have attended Allies in Recovery online groups and used their website have been helped by the training, support, and resources offered to families who have a loved one facing substance use disorder.
Photo by Mikhail Nilov
Allies in Recovery, an organization with a 20year track record with over 4000 families served, facilitates CRAFT trainings, does online education with videos and real-life blog posts, and has online support groups and skills training groups available to all county residents.
They are advocates for families of people in active use or recovery, and in addition to teaching you how to improve communication with your loved one, Allies in Recovery will help you learn how to navigate the often complex world of treatment and recovery. Whether your loved one is your child, your partner, or your parent, Allies in Recovery can help.
One way Allies in Recovery teaches families better communication is by addressing the use of negative talk. When you learn how to avoid negative talk to your loved one, you reduce your own catastrophizing of the situation, and you begin to listen.
Learning alternative communication skills – like reflective listening – really is a game-changer. Allies in Recovery also teaches families to recognize stigmatizing language and to understand how it can be a barrier to treatment and support. For example, using stigmatizing language promotes punishing the person for their illness, rather than seeing the person as an individual struggling with an illness.
“CRAFT – Community Reinforcement and Family Training, is the ONLY method approved by the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) for helping families get a loved one into recovery.”
Or you may feel your loved one is doing this to you, not because they are struggling to cope with life; changing the language you use changes the conversation with your loved one, and helps lead to partnering in their recovery.
*CRAFT – Community Reinforcement and Family Training, is the ONLY method approved by the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) for helping families get a loved one into recovery. The PBC Behavioral Health Coalition and NAMI were the initial agencies to bring CRAFT to the community.
CRAFT can help families today and tomorrow in their quest for health and for better family relationships, which can be so disrupted by substance use disorder.
Sign up TODAY for FREE by visiting alliesinrecovery.net/sponsored. Your ZIP code is your promo code.
The Reservoir is the column that celebrates our vibrant community’s customs, culture, holidays, rituals, lifestyle, and social behaviors.
To contribute, send your article ideas to thewell@bewellpbc.org with “The Reservoir” in the subject line.
Dominique Simon-Levine, PhD, MPH
“Recovery Dharma does not involve belief in a higher power or require adherence to a specific spiritual doctrine, making it accessible to individuals of all spiritual backgrounds.”
Photo by Karolina Grabowska
FROM SUFFERING TO SERENITY: RECOVERY THROUGH BUDDHISM
By Weston Probst
Recovery Dharma is a program that offers a Buddhistinspired path to recovery from addiction and aims to provide a spiritual foundation and practical tools for individuals seeking freedom from addictive behaviors.
Rooted in Buddhist principles such as mindfulness, compassion and incorporating practices such as meditation, exploration of the Four Noble Truths and the Eightfold Path, Recovery Dharma adapts these teachings to address the challenges of addiction recovery in a secular, inclusive, and non-judgmental manner.
Central to Recovery Dharma is the belief that suffering is a natural part of life, and addiction is seen as a form of suffering that can be alleviated through understanding and practice. Participants are encouraged to cultivate mindfulness, which involves
non-judgmental awareness of thoughts, feelings, and bodily sensations in the present moment. This practice helps individuals develop a deeper understanding of the causes and conditions underlying their addictive behaviors.
Meetings within Recovery Dharma typically incorporate meditation, group sharing, and readings from Buddhist texts or recovery literature. These meetings are structured to provide a supportive environment where individuals can explore their experiences with addiction, gain insights from others, and learn practical strategies for maintaining sobriety. Unlike traditional 12-step programs, Recovery Dharma does not involve belief in a higher power or require adherence to a specific spiritual doctrine, making it accessible to individuals of all spiritual backgrounds.
/ THE DEPTH
“Unlike traditional 12-step programs, Recovery Dharma does not involve belief in a higher power or require adherence to a specific spiritual doctrine, making it accessible to individuals of all spiritual backgrounds.”
The program emphasizes personal responsibility and self-reliance, encouraging participants to take an active role in their own recovery journey. Through regular meditation practice and participation in meetings, individuals develop resilience and inner strength to face the challenges of recovery with equanimity.
One of the core teachings of Recovery Dharma is the concept of “The Eight Steps to Recovery,” which draws inspiration from the Eightfold Path. These steps include understanding, intention, communication, community (sometimes called sangha after the Buddhist practice), action, livelihood, effort, and mindfulness. Each step offers guidance on how to cultivate a balanced and fulfilling life free from the grip of addiction.
Another key aspect of Recovery Dharma is its emphasis on community support. By connecting with others who share similar experiences, individuals in recovery find companionship, understanding, and encouragement to stay committed to their sobriety goals. The community aspect also helps combat feelings of isolation and loneliness that often accompany addiction.
Recovery Dharma meetings in Palm Beach County are held at The Crossroads Club (1700 Lake Ida Rd in Delray Beach); visit https:// recoverydharma.org/meetings/ for more information.
The Depth digs deep into faith and fellowship at the neighborhood level. Email thewell@bewellpbc.org for a chance to be featured.
Photo by Ekaterina Bolovtsova
Future Leaders United for Change*
on How They Prepare For Back-to-School
Jamie Green, West Palm Beach
“When preparing for school, I plan out my schedule, balancing schoolwork with extracurricular activities like volleyball and cheerleading, so I can stay on top of everything and still have time for fun.”
Marvely Mondesir, Lake Worth
“I get ready for the school year by taking on volunteer work, going back-to-school shopping to get all my necessary supplies for the year, and participating in back-to-school events in the community to help out students and parents. To top it off, I never miss a chance to restock my closet with fashionable clothing for the school year and the events to come.”
Nathan Troupe, Wellington
“Before the school year starts it is important to properly prepare yourself for the upcoming year ahead. School supplies and making sure that I have all the proper essential materials to ensure my success is one of my top priorities. To prepare, I reviewed my high school graduation requirements so that I can be ahead of what I need to graduate high school.”
/ CORNER TALK
Alera Park, West Palm Beach
“I prepare for school by making sure I have all the supplies needed for the year. I also check my schedule and find the room numbers to manage my time during bell changes. I like to volunteer at places to get a head start at community service hours. Before I wear something I make sure it follows the guidelines for dress code.”
Catherine Joseph, Lake Worth
"There are many ways people like to prepare for the upcoming back-to-school season and this is the way I would suggest. I recommend writing! Write down what supplies you need (such as pens, pencils, and notebooks…). You can also write down what classes you want to attend so that you would be prepared and know what to talk about later with your designated counselor. And last but not least, write in an agenda. It’s nice to have somewhere where you can see what events or days that you have planned for. Writing is very helpful to all!"
*Future Leaders United for Change is a countywide youth council created in response to Palm Beach County's call to have the voice of our young people distinctively heard as we assess their needs and the implementation of programs and services that will influence them.
To have your voice heard from the corner of the neighborhood, send an email to thewell@bewellpbc.org with “Corner Talk and north, central, south, east or west” in the subject line.
“It was recommended that systematic communication and collaboration occur more frequently to ensure that individuals, families and communities impacted by the opioid crisis receive care.”
Florida Atlantic University’s Recovery Research
Dr. Heather Howard Associate Professor, Sandler School of Social Work at Florida Atlantic University
The Board of County Commissioners approved a contract in May 2023 enabling the Community Services Department to partner with Florida Atlantic University School of Social Work (FAU) to perform a program research evaluation of the County’s existing Recovery Community Organizations and Recovery Community Centers and organizational development processes for the new locations.
The research evaluation is examining the longterm recovery outcomes of the participants who interface with the RCO/RCC by evaluating levels of engagement and recovery outcomes with a report expected to be completed in December 2024.
Florida Atlantic University School of Social Work is also engaged as a research partner of the Palm Beach County Advisory Committee on Behavioral Health,
Substance Use and Co-Occurring Disorders and its subcommittees. FAU is conducting process and outcome evaluations for Plan Update, the BHSUCOD overseeing implementation and reporting on it, and initiatives of person-centered recovery-oriented systems of care.
In order to address re-occurring report findings and community concern about siloes between government, providers, and communities that create barriers to care, FAU surveyed the BHSUCOD utilizing the Wilder Collaboration Factors Inventory. The inventory is an assessment tool that helps provide an idea of how well interagency collaboration is doing in areas important to success. It identifies strengths and weaknesses of individual factors in an organization’s collaboration and is used to provide an overall score of collaborative success.
Dr. Heather Howard
/ THE PROVIDERS
“Florida Atlantic University School of Social Work is also engaged as a research partner of the Palm Beach
County Advisory Committee on Behavioral Health, Substance Use and CoOccurring Disorders and its subcommittees.”
The Providers is a space for providers, practitioners, thought leaders, and systems change leaders to share.
To contribute, send your article ideas to thewell bewellpbc.org with “For The Providers” in the subject line.
The FAU research team used process and outcome evaluations for the BHSUCOD, Master Plan, and Initiatives of person-centered recovery-oriented systems of care. A thematic analysis was conducted and major themes were created based on interviews. Major themes consisted of barriers, programmatic, and purpose.
The Wilder Inventory demonstrated that 80% of the responses were somewhat "agree" to "strongly agree" regarding collaboration as indicated by the inventory’s indicators. Some of the indicators that received "strongly agree" responses were:
• The political and social climate seems to be “right” for starting a collaborative project like this one.
• I have a lot of respect for people involved in this collaboration.
• Everyone who is a member of our collaborative group wants this project to succeed.
There were also areas identified for improvement including:
• Trying to solve problems through collaboration has been common in this community. It has been done a lot before.
• The organizations that belong to our collaborative group invest the right amount of time in our collaborative efforts.
• Communication among the people in this collaborative group happens both at formal meetings and in informal ways.
The following are the subcommittees that are collaborating: Prevention and Education Priority Recommendations, Public Policy Priority Recommendations, Justice System and Public Safety Priority Recommendations, Treatment and Recovery Priority Recommendations, Essential Services Priority Recommendations, Evaluation and Monitoring Priority Recommendations, Faith-based Priority Recommendations, and the Addiction Stabilization Unit (ASU) Priority Recommendations.
An After Action Review was also completed with the 3 major stakeholders that were involved with the ASU: PBC Healthcare District, PBC Fire & Rescue and JFK North. It was recommended that systematic communication and collaboration occur more frequently to ensure that individuals, families and communities impacted by the opioid crisis receive care. Most importantly that medical stabilization and healthcare work cooperatively with addressing the social determinants of health.
Precious Skinner-Osei, Ph.D., MSW
BSW Program Coordinator, Assistant Professor Phyllis & Harvey Sandler School of Social Work
From parenting resources to podcasts to books to read together, there are countless behavioral health and wellness materials out there which serve to educate, support and inspire.
We hope you will use The Source as a resource for our community and find what you need to thrive.
If you have something you’d like to share, we encourage you to email us at: thewell@ bewellpbc.org and tell us about it so we might highlight it in a future issue.
The Well of PBC contributor Allie Severino has a podcast called Back Alley Chat featuring conversations with inspiring individuals making positive impacts in their communities. At the young age of 17, Severino was facing 120 years in prison and struggled with severe addiction issues. Fifteen years later, she is the creator of TV show Dopesick Nation on Viceland, the film American Relapse on Hulu and runs the homeless outreach team for the City of West Palm Beach. Back Alley Chat explores the intersection of addiction, recovery, homelessness and mental health and can be found on Apple Podcasts and Spotify.
Another great podcast regarding recovery is Allies in Recovery’s Coming Up For Air with hosts Dominique Simon-Levine, Founder & Director of Allies in Recovery with 25 years of recovery herself, Kayla Solomon, Psychotherapist and Self-Care Support Group Leader, and Laurie MacDougall, Allies in Recovery Advocate, Support-Group Leader and mom of an adult son in recovery from opioid use.
The Source is The Well of PBC’s Creative Team’s pick of accessible behavioral health resources. Readers can email thewell@bewellpbc.org with their favorite podcasts, books, book clubs, apps, groups, social media accounts, and other suggestions.
A definitive history of addiction treatment in America, William L. White’s book Slaying the Dragon: The History of Addiction Treatment and Recovery in America covers everything from public policy to the foundation of Alcoholics Anonymous. Slaying the Dragon is a vital resource for anyone studying addiction or seeking to know more about its history.
Speaking of books, Gain Green’s Book Club was created for, “those of us who want to use our minds and soul to improve our quality of life and others through reading, learning, self-expression and fellowship.” Founder Gain Green had never joined a book club before nor did he know anyone involved in one but he took the initiative and two years later, Book Club "The Social Cafe" is thriving! They meet every Thursday at 7:30pm at Passionate Care Services in West Palm Beach and while it’s an exclusive book club for now, they open up membership every four months. They are currently working on adding members through Zoom or social media subscription.
The American Heart Association is celebrating 100 years this summer and is offering a litany of resources to honor a century of being a relentless force for longer, healthier lives. From a 30 Days of Heart booklet with healthy habit tips to free exercises classes in Riviera Beach on the fourth Saturday of every month (event information can be found on their Facebook page) to CPR classes to free meal kits to Riviera Beach residents with one or more risk factors for heart disease (Ask your care team about the American Heart Association’s Food Farmacy program when you get a physical at Foundcare or Integrated Healthcare Systems in Riviera Beach), the American Heart Association is proud to wear their heart on their sleeve and promote healthy living for all.
Gain Green and Book Club "The Social Cafe."
e C A P E t e a m a n d o t h e r m e n t a l h e a l t h s e r v i c e s !
A s a c o m m u n i t y c o r p o r a t e l e a d e r , w h e t h e r y o u r f o c u s i s o n b u s i n e s s , h e a l t h c a r e , e d u c a t i o n , o r c h i l d r e n c a r i n g a b o u t o u r f u t u r e m e a n s c a r i n g a b o u t A d v e r s e C h i l d h o o d E x p e r i e n c e s ( A C E s ) . O u r r o b u s t L e a d t h e F i g h t s p o n s o r s h i p p a c k a g e s o f f e r o p p o r t u n i t i e s t o s h o w c a s e y o u r c o n t r i b u t i o n s a n d c e l e b r a t e y o u r i m p a c t i n c o m b a t i n g A C E s t h r o u g h o u t o u r s e r i e s
A s a L e a d t h e F i g h t P a r t n e r , y o u a c t i v e l y c o n t r i b u t e t o b r e a k i n g t h e c y c l e s o f t r a u m a a n d f o s t e r i n g h o p e t h r o u g h P o s i t i v e C h i l d h o o d E x p e r i e n c e s ( P C E s ) , t h e a n t i d o t e t o A C E s . C o n s i d e r s p o n s o r i n g a n d p a r t n e r i n g w i t h u s t o L e a d t h e F i g h t a g a i n s t A C E s !
E x p l o r e o u r L e a d t h e F i g h t S p o n s o r s h i p o p p o r t u n i t i e s a h e a d o f o u r u p c o m i n g i n s t a l l m e n t i n t h e 2 0 2 4 L e a d t h e F i g h t S e r i e s a t w w w . c e n t e r f o r c h i l d c o u n s e l i n g . o r g / l e a d t h e f i g h t .
Join the Fight! “ C h i l d r e n d o n ’ t g e t t r a u m a t i z e d b e c a u s e t h e y g e t h u r t ; t h e y g e t t r a u m a t i z e d b e c a u s e t h e y a r e a l o n e w i t h t h e h u r t . ” - D r . G a b o r M a t é
Sponsor Online:
www.centerforchildcounseling.org/GiveLTF
ACORNS:
Expanding Student Mental Health Support through School-Based Care
The well-being of children and adolescents is important. With 1 in 6 youth (6-17) experiencing a mental disorder each year 1 and increasing rates of behavioral and mental health concerns; school-based mental health care is a vital part of student support systems. Mentally healthy students are more likely to go to school ready to learn, actively engage in school activities, have supportive and caring connections with adults and young people, use appropriate problem-solving skills, use positive behaviors, and add to positive school culture.2 The Department of Behavioral and Mental Health is committed to continued expansion of student access to mental health support.
Mental health is our ability to live fully, engage with others, and respond to challenges.
Mental health is a state of wellbeing in which the individual realizes his or her own abilities, can cope with the normal stresses of life, can work productively and fruitfully, and is able to make a contribution to his or her community. Youth mental health can be understood as how they (youth) relate to others (social), how they feel (emotions), and how they act (behavior). It connects to resiliency (the ability to bounce back after tough times) and is important at every stage of life, from childhood and adolescence through adulthood.3
It’s OK to be OK. It’s OK to not be OK. It’s OK to Ask for help.
Oftentimes young people are OK. They are managing their relationships, emotions, thoughts and behaviors. Sometimes they may struggle with how they relate to others, managing their emotions or managing their behaviors. When this happens, it is OK to ask for help.
1 NAMI.org
2 The U.S. Surgeon General’s Advisory (2021). Protecting Youth Mental Health, Whitney DG, Peterson MD. US National and State-Level Prevalence of Mental Health Disorders and Disparities of Mental Health Care Use in Children. JAMA Pediatr. 2019;173(4):389–391.
Schools have highly trained and skilled professionals in place to support student mental health.
Any parent with concerns about the social, emotional or behavioral well-being of their child should contact their child’s school.
● Every District school employs a School Behavioral Health Professional (SBHP). SBHPs support the personal, social, emotional and academic growth of students.
● Approximately 140 School Psychologists are in place to provide a broad range of comprehensive services in mental health, learning and behavior.
● School counselors are in all schools to provide classroom lessons, individual and small group counseling and academic advising to students.
● Contracted mental health professionals are in place at 115 schools to provide individual counseling to students, with parental consent, at no cost to families. Co-located mental health services do not require a diagnosis and are provided on campus during the regular school day.
● Community-based agencies are partners in supporting students and their families. The District has 28 Behavioral Health Agreements and school staff can assist parents to get connected to the best resource.
Finally, parents or students can also look for information on the Caring First website (http://l.sdpbc.net/2zq6a). Search the website for more information on topics like Attendance, Student Safety, Bullying Prevention and Counseling. Navigate to the Student Support Tab to view a list of community agencies with Behavioral Health Agreements. The Department of Behavioral and Mental Health website can be found at http://l.sdpbc.net/v17y7
Bottom Line
The bottom line is the District has a great deal of mental health support available on campus for free. Call your child’s school and ask for help by talking to one of the professionals listed above. Youth mental, emotional or physical health, and well-being is important and schools are ready to partner with parents to create a safe supportive learning environment for children.
“Schools
have highly trained and skilled professionals in place to support student mental health. Ask for help at school by talking to a School Behavioral Health Professional, School Counselor, School Psychologist or Colocated Mental Health Professional.”
Meet Lissa Franklin, the founder of Lissa Franklin and Associates
Lissa Franklin is the founder of Lissa Franklin and Associates, a consultancy specializing in Non-Profit Strategy, Healthcare Facility Operations, Behavioral Health Accreditation and Compliance, Social Services Program Development, and Public Health and Consumer Protection Policy and Legislation. She received her bachelor’s degree from the University of Miami, with a major in Psychology with a minor in Health Sector Management and Policy and graduated with university honors. During her time as a student at the University of Miami she founded the Miami chapter and served as the Chapter Lead of “Young People in Recovery: Miami” and was Founder and President of the Collegiate Recovery Community at the University of Miami called “URecovery”.
Ms. Franklin has worked in the Behavioral Healthcare field for over a decade. She has served many roles from Behavioral Health Technician to Executive Level Leadership. She began her time working at a facility serving adolescents, from there she became the Director of Operations at a trauma-focused facility for females, and prior to stepping out on her own she was the Director of Marketing for an academically-focused addiction treatment center on a college campus for over 5 years.
Community development focused on the improvement of human capital, has always been a passion for Ms. Franklin. Locally to South Florida she has served on the Miami Dade Opioid Task Force, the Palm Beach County Sober Home Task Force, was a founding member of Southeast Florida Recovery Advocates, is actively involved with the Palm Beach County Substance Awareness Coalition and is a member at-large of the Palm Beach County Advisory Committee on Behavioral Health Substance Use and CoOccurring Disorders. Nationally, she was involved with the implementation of the Drug Enforcement Administration’s 360 Strategy Initiative and has held advisory roles for the Substance Abuse and Mental Health and Services Administration (SAMHSA), Federal Trade Commission's Division of Consumer Protection, the National Council for Behavioral Health, the National Alliance of Model State Drug Law (NAMSDL), the National Association of
Addiction Treatment Providers (NAATP), and the National Association of Attorneys General (NAAG). She is currently the Executive Director of the Delray Beach Drug Task Force, a board member of the Health Council of Southeast Florida, a member of the National Association of Drug Diversion Investigators (NADDI) and serves as Professional and Government Relations for Heather R. Hayes & Associates. Ms. Franklin has been instrumental in the drafting and implementation of legislation focused on quality of care and patient protection at the local, state, and federal levels.
Widely recognized for her vast involvement and expansive knowledge, Ms. Franklin is known as one of the country’s most prominent authorities within the field of Behavioral Healthcare. She has contributed as a subject matter expert to People Magazine, the Washington Post, the New York Times, the New Yorker, NPR, the Wall Street Journal, major streaming services, documentaries, BBC, ESPN, CBS, NBC, and FOX.
Lissa’s passions in this arena are guided by her closely held belief system. She believes “as long as there is breath there is hope.” She believes that as a survivor and a person in longterm recovery that it is her duty to keep hope alive by sparking conversations, shattering stigma, and increasing access to quality care and recovery support systems. She advocates fiercely for patient protection because she believes “the world will not be destroyed by evil, but by those who see evil and do nothing about it.” She wholeheartedly lives by “teamwork makes the dream work,” embracing a workethic of communication and collaboration because “what cannot be done alone, can surely be done together.”
Photo courtesty of Lissa Franklin
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Palm Health Foundation
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With a readership of thousands that covers Belle Glade to Lake Worth Beach to Jupiter to Boca Raton, The Well of PBC comprehensive, community-directed resource, dedicated to elevating the voices and concerns of all who call Palm Beach County home. Please join us as we advocate for mental health and work together to transform the behavioral health landscape. Your commitment helps us do exactly that.
To commit, please email thewellads@bewellpbc.org and let us know you’re interested in becoming a distribution partner.
With beKidSafe, powered by Center for Child Counseling, we are building the capacity of educators, professionals, and the community to promote child safety, resilience, and well-being.
Schools Professionals
Stay KidSafe!™ - Abuse prevention training and curriculum for grades Kindergarten-5. Stay KidSafe!™ is FREE for educators.
Parent Learning Resources - Expert-developed workshops and resources designed to empower every parent or caregiver with the tools needed to ensure children's safety, mental health, and resilience.
Online workshops - Our online workshops enhance the skills of those who work with children, promoting mental health, well-being, and resilience in children, teens, and their families.
Our goal is to help adults who work with children learn how to keep them safe through effective strategies that prevent abuse, build safety and communication skills, promote positive relationships and resilience, and identify risk early on.
