THE RESOURCE FOR BEHAVIORAL HEALTH AND WELLNESS / AUG 2022 A Safe Place to Land The FeatureReservoirStory Working on Mental Health Beyond The Couch Living JewishinTime The Depth Behavioral ProfessionalHealth Expanding School-BasedSupportMentalStudentHealththroughCare The Providers Spotlight
The Well Of PBC / Aug Issue 20222 Content 06 10 16 AUG 2022 FEATURE STORY Out of the Shadows06 26 THE FOUNTAIN Youth-Focused Mental Health Program Teaches Teens to Take Responsibility for Mental Health 18 THE DEPTH Living in Jewish Time26 THE DRAW Art for Real16 CORNER TALK What Free Resources Are You Sharing With The Community to Support Self-Care? 22 THE RESERVOIR A Safe Place to Land10 BEYOND THE COUCH Working on Mental Health14 28 THE PROVIDERS Expanding Student Mental Health Support through School-Based Care 24 28 THE SOURCE30 BEWELL NEWS20 THE REAL Caregivers club 21 THE WORD Meet us For Brunch: Brown Skin Brunchin’ Becomes the Social Group To Join 32 SPOTLIGHT Behavioral ProfessionalHealthSpotlights
FromLetterThe Editor Julie Khanna, thewell@bewellpbc.orgEditor-in-Chief
MENTAL HEALTH AWARENESS TO RESPONSIBILITY
As post-pandemic life starts to feel more and more normal, there are still so many things that are changing and won’t ever be quite the same, but in the best way. The pandemic has created an unexpected opportunity for more open and supportive con versations surrounding mental health awareness and responsibility. People are more aware than ever of their mental health and how it affects their life.
This edition of The Well is a breath of fresh air because we are finally able to shift from mental health awareness to seeing how people are taking responsibility for their mental health. Hearing from people in different areas of Palm Beach County about the actions they are taking and activities they are participating in to make sure they maintain good mental health is so inspiring. The August edition of The Well is centered around inspiring stories from fellow Palm Beach County residents who are committed to taking responsibility for their mental health and those who are helping those in the community to do the same. We heard from organizations like Brown Skin Brunchin’ who have created a space for margin alized women to come together over a good meal & drinks, and meet other amazing women to expand their personal and professional circles. Leaders, like Tessie Goron, who is teaching Mental Health for Youth, a “Mental Health Mini” training, help youth to take action in the mental health space.
The Well Of PBC / Aug Issue 2022 3 MADE POSSIBLE BY OUR INVESTED PARTNERS
In addition to leaders and organizations focused on taking action for mental health, we also heard from individuals like Sidney Pena, an artist who finds release through his artwork. There are so many ways to get involved and find an outlet that supports your mental health journey. It’s time for everyone to start taking responsibility for their mental well-being and we hope this edition of The Well helps to inspire you to get there if you are not already! To be the primary re source 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 land scape. “ ”
Thank you for being a part of the mission:
The Well Of PBC / Aug Issue 20224 The Well of PBC is an online publication that strives to be the primary resource for behavioral health and wellness for Palm Beach County, a safe exchange space for the community, and an outlet for our neighbors and stakeholders to transform the behavioral health landscape. So, what does that mean to you? It means we not only want to be your go-to place for all things behavioral health topics, but we want to tell your stories too! We are looking for freelance photographers (willing to barter) and writers to contribute to our art, ask the experts, students, self-care, cultural, spiritual, and provider columns. Email us for our contributor guidelines, editorial calendar, or if you’d like to share an event or position you’re hiring for. E: thewell@bewellpbc.org | Follow along at @thewellofpbc The Mission April Issue 20224
The information in this issue of The Well of PBC is for information purposes only. The Well of PBC assumes no liability or responsibility for any inaccurate, delayed or incomplete information, nor for any actions taken in reliance thereon. The information contained about each individual, company, product or organization has been provided by such individual, company, product or organization without verification by us. The opinion expressed in each article is the opinion of its author and does not necessarily reflect the opinion of The Well of PBC. There fore, The Well of PBC carries no responsibility for the opinion expressed therein. Any form of reproduction of any content in this magazine without the written permission of the publisher is strictly prohibited.
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.
VANESSAGONZALEZMOSSALEXALEE
Alita Faber is the Networks & Special Projects Manager at BeWellPBC. Through her work, she wishes to help the field of behavioral health to become more equi table for the entire community, including those seeking services and those looking to work in the field. ALITA FABER BEWELLPBC STAFF
LETY
The Well Of PBC / Aug Issue 2022 5 Our Team
© 2022 The Well of PBC All rights reserved.
KATRINA BLACKMON MARKETING MANAGER
Julie, CEO of Khanna Connections, en joys using her creativity to help health and wellness industries communicate with their audiences.
LAUREN ZUCHMAN PUBLISHER Katrina, founder & CEO of Unity3 Palm Beach, brings her executive advertising background combined with her love of faith, family, and this vibrant multicul tural community to The Well of PBC and BeWellPBC.
JULIE KHANNA EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Surej, founder of Photography & Design by Sunman, is the creative visionary that brings life into each page, concept, visual and digital design of The Well of PBC publication.
SUREJ KALATHIL AKA SUNMAN CREATIVE DIRECTOR 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.
MELANIE OTERO CONTRIBUTOR BeWellPBC Creative Team: BeWellPBC wants to give a special thank you to additional creative team members: Vanessa Moss, Alexa Lee and Lety Gon zalez who were instrumental in the vision and implementation of this publication. We are here with the help of their desire for tangible solutions for community needs.
The Well Of PBC / Aug Issue 20226
FEATURE STORY
“Similar to CPR and First Aid, MHFA is the initial step until the professional gets involved.”
From every corner, people are raising their hands to be a point of light for others in need of mental health support. In our schools. Our faith institutions. Our businesses. And our government and nonprofit agencies. They are Mental Health First Aiders, thousands of men, women, and youth trained to identify, understand, and respond to signs of mental illnesses and substance use disorders.
They are pastors and teachers, coaches and teens, taking responsibility to say, “I see you,” rather than ignoring a health issue that has been hidden in the dark for far too long. “ ”
A legion is forming across Palm Beach County.
Out of the Shadows
-Cindy Wides, JFS director of community outreach/MHFA.
OTEROMELANIEBY
• Available evidence-based profession al, peer, and self-help resources.
A Sense of Duty MHFA trainer Judy Knopf decided to make mental health her business after spending years as a family law attorney and divorce media tion teacher. She saw firsthand the mental health challenges that were present among many of her clients. “It always bothered me that no body would talk about it,” she said. “They felt it was embarrassing.”
A Worldwide Movement Comes to Palm Beach County Mental Health First Aid (MHFA) was created in 2001 in Australia and later adapted to create Mental Health First Aid USA, which has trained more than 2.5 million people and certified 15,000 instructors across the country. MHFA first arrived in Palm Beach County in a significant way in 2015 through the Ferd & Gladys Alpert Jewish Family Service of Palm Beach County (JFS).
The Well Of PBC / Aug Issue 2022 7
“Similar to CPR and First Aid, MHFA is the initial step until the professional gets involved,” said Cindy Wides, JFS director of community outreach/MHFA. “Our training builds skills so individuals are confident to assess a situation, listen non-judgmentally, reassure vs. give ad vice, encourage to see a professional, and understand how self-help can play a huge role in recovery. These skills help the First Aider provide early intervention and can even save a life.”
To grow the number of people trained in Palm Beach County, JFS has built a coalition of MHFA-certified instructors that offers training to all populations, including modules for adults, teens, first responders, veterans, rural residents, and more. There is no cost to participants thanks to grants and state appropriations awarded to JFS.
• A 5-step action plan to help someone developing a mental health concern or in crisis.
To date, JFS has trained over 6,700 peo ple in the MHFA course that gives people the skills to help someone who is develop ing a mental health problem, substance use challenge or experiencing a mental health crisis. MHFA teaches: • Risk factors and warning signs of mental health concerns.
For people who cannot commit to the full day training, JFS and the Palm Beach County Mental Health First Aid Coa lition offer virtual or in-person “mini” health trainings of 1.5 hours in length, developed to lead into the full MHFA class in the future when schedules allow.
The mini trainings are interactive, and participants will walk away with knowl edge and understanding of how mental illness is everyone’s business.
Now as an MHFA trainer for gov ernment agencies and other em ployers, Knopf and her co-trainer Tyrina Pinkney from The Lord’s Place focus on what she calls basic but simple things that are useful in day-to-day life. “We teach the little things to look out for, maybe a person is suddenly dressing slop py, or arriving to work late,” she explained. “There are appropriate and sensitive questions you can ask to help people navigate to a place that will help them. We don’t diag nose or treat but we can educate, give advice, and direction.” Knopf recognizes the importance of teaching sections on substance abuse and suicide with sensitivity. “You don’t know how it will impact
4 Reasons to Become A Mental Health First Aider To Be Prepared Just as you learn CPR, learn how to help in a mental health crisis 1 Mental Illnesses Are Common 1 in 5 adults in any given year 2 Your Care Be there for a friend, family member, or colleague 3 You Can Help People with mental illnesses often suffer alone 4 FEATURE STORY MENTAL HEALTH MINI TRAINING TOPICS • Stop Mental Health Stigma? Challenge Accepted. • Prioritizing Your Well-Being and the Well-Being of Others. • Workplace Wellness • Mental Health Tips for You and Your Colleagues. • Substance Use Disorder 101 • Facts and Stats-How to Recognize It and How to Respond. • Mental Health For “You”th
• Information about depression, anxi ety, trauma, psychosis, and substance abuse.
The Well Of PBC / Aug Issue 20228
FEATURE STORY
someone in the class,” she said. It’s a topic that leads to a section about self-care, for as Knopf says, “It’s easy to get caught up and suddenly realize you’re not OK. We teach you how to find things that give you peace and satisfaction.”
Whether the training helps others or the participants themselves, Knopf sees the bigger picture. “I’m hop ing that the more people we educate, the more helpful MHFA will be to the greater community. It would be wonderful if there were not this stigma and if every one who needed help could get it.”
“Everyone has a role when responding to a child with a mental health concern.”
-Anna Irizarry-Cardona MSW, LCSW, School District of Palm Beach County.
The program the DOE chose was Youth Mental Health First Aid (YMHFA) (designed for adults who regularly interact with young people) mandating that 80% of every school district’s staff be trained in the program, and not just teachers, but also coaches, janitors, bus driv ers, lunchroom staff—anyone who encounters a child. “Everyone has a role when re sponding to a child with a men tal health concern,” said Anna Irizarry-Cardona MSW, LCSW, a program planner for the depart ment of behavioral and mental health at the School District of Palm Beach County. “Children may have a special relationship with someone other than a teach er who notices when something doesn’t seem right.” The training helps identify students who may be struggling and connect them to Irizarry-Cardonaresources. recognizes the impact YMHFA has made in becoming more proactive. “Chil dren who were not identified before are starting to get identified and are getting help.” She also sees the impact on a student’s school success. “If a staff member is able to deescalate a noncrisis situation, there is more of a possibility for a successful return to the classroom and learning.” The school district’s goal is to achieve the 80% of their nearly 23,000 employees trained by the end of the 2022-2023 school year, spreading awareness and assistance beyond the walls of our schools, into the living rooms and neigh borhoods of every person trained. “We’re making sure every child has a strong village,” said Irizarry-Car dona. Combined with those trained by JFS, success stories of lives changed and saved abound. Fam ily members, colleagues, and even strangers have all been helped by someone from Palm Beach Coun ty’s legion of First Aiders, who are bringing mental health out of the shadows, one bright light at a time.
Ensuring every Florida State public school student who needs help can get it became a priority following the Marjory Stoneman Douglas school shooting in 2018. Beginning with the 2018-2019 school year, the Florida Department of Education (DOE) established an evi dence-based youth mental health awareness and assistance training program to help school personnel identify and understand the signs of emotional disturbance, mental illness, and substance use disorders.
Building A Strong Village
FEATURE STORY
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To find a MHFA training near you: visit alpertjfs.org/mhfa contactor Cindy Wides Cindy.Wides@AlpertJFS.orgat561-713-7851
South Florida’s migrant communi ty. Our history begins in the 1980s, at the height of the Guatemalan genocide, when many indigenous migrant workers faced harassment from employers while struggling to find their place in a new home. It was then that our founder Father Frank began his commitment to the Maya while serving as a parish priest in Indiantown.
BY: MARIANA BLANCO | GUATEMALAN-MAYA CENTER
The Well Of PBC / Aug Issue 202210 THE RESERVOIR
Prayers for farm workers gathering A Safe Place to Land
A Safe Place to Land
He and others advocated for the migrant community and gained numerous victories, including securing special agricultural work visas for nearly 1,000,000 people. In 1992, the Guatemalan-Maya Center was officially incorporated based on this advocacy. With just a staff of 5 and a van, we began driving mothers with limited access to health services and prenatal care to their doctor visits - interpreting both language and culture. Olga and her niece
TheyearsCenterGuatemalan-Mayawasfounded30agoasahometo
Picking up supplies
The Well Of PBC / Aug Issue 2022 11 THE RESERVOIR
Since then, our organization has expanded to serve up to 1,400 fam ilies monthly. Our goal is to make services accessible and to bridge the gaps between the existing systems and our community. The needs of our Maya community are particularly unique because of their immi gration status and existing cultural and language barriers. In Gua temala, there are over 22 Mayan languages and many dialects within those languages. To serve the Maya population best, we have 4 of the most popularly spoken Mayan lan guages represented on staff (Q’an job’al, Akateko, Mam, and Popti’), and we have community members willing to volunteer to assist with translations for even more. We also have staff members who speak English, Spanish and Portuguese, meaning we can serve various immigrant families. Though our organization prides itself on our expertise in cultur al competence for the Maya, we accompany all immigrant communities in South Florida. Of those served, 60% are indigenous Maya, and 40% come from over 28 different countries across Cen tral America, the Caribbean, the Middle East, and the United States. We are Palm Beach County’s main hub for recent arrivals, coming to us seeking support and assistance after only being in the country for a couple of days. Often, family members will come to us before their navigating the legal system and responding to any other community needs through our Outreach department. We serve our families daily while advocating for a better future. Our community knows that at the GMC, they’re at home. relative even arrives for help with paperwork and to receive support for other social services or mate rial assistance in preparation for their arrival. Everyone we serve is low-income and is affected by risky social determinants for health. We pride ourselves on being guided by the people, not the other way around. Through the years, we are proud to have expanded our services in response to community needs. Today, we provide pre-lit eracy education to toddlers and their parents in our ParentChild+ program, education, and mentor ship to children ages 3-12 in our Escuelita Mayas, free healthcare for uninsured families in our Clinica Maya, food for struggling families in our food pantry, and assistance with applications, translations, We are Palm Beach County’s main hub for recent arrivals, coming to us seeking support and assistance after only being in the country for a couple of days.
Often, family members will come to us before their relative even“arrives…
”
El Centro Maya Guatemalteco fue fundado hace 30 años como hogar para la comunidad migrante del sur de la Florida. Nuestra historia comienza en la década de 1980, durante el genocidio guatemalteco, cuando muchos trabajadores mi grantes indígenas sufrían el acoso de los empleadores mientras luch aban por encontrar su lugar en un nuevo hogar. Fue entonces cuando nuestro fundador, el Padre Frank, comenzó su compromiso con los Mayas, mientras se desempeñaba como párroco en Indiantown. Él y otros abogaron por la comunidad migrante y obtuvieron numerosas victorias, incluida la obtención de visas especiales para trabajo agríco la para casi 1,000,000 personas. En 1992, el Centro Maya Guatemalte co se incorporó oficialmente con base en esta incidencia. Con solo un personal de 5 y una camioneta, comenzamos a llevar a las madres con acceso limitado a los servicios de salud y atención prenatal a sus visitas al médico, interpretando tanto el idioma como la cultura. Children learning at GMA Olga and Guillermo with food supplies
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THE RESERVOIR
Aunque nuestra organización se enorgullece de nuestra experiencia en competencia cultural con los Maya, acompañamos a todas las comunidades de inmigrantes en el sur de la Florida. De los atendidos, el 60% son Indígenas Maya y el 40% provienen de más de 28 países diferentes, que van desde América Central, el Caribe, Medio Oriente y los Estados Unidos. También somos el centro principal del con dado de Palm Beach para los recién llegados, que vienen a nosotros en busca de apoyo y asistencia después de estar en el país solo un par de días. Frecuentemente, los miembros de la familia vienen con nosotros antes de que llegue su pariente en busca de ayuda con el papeleo y para recibir apoyo para otros servicios sociales o asistencia material en preparación para su llegada. Todas las personas a las que servimos tienen bajos ingresos y se ven afectadas por determinantes sociales de riesgo para la salud. Nos enorgullecemos de ser guiados por las personas, no al revés. A través de los años estamos orgullosos de haber ampliado nues tros servicios en respuesta a las necesidades de la comunidad. Hoy, brindamos educación previa a la alfabetización para niños pequeños y sus padres en nuestro programa ParentChild+, educación y tutoría para niños de 3 a 12 años en nues tra Escuelita Mayas, atención médi ca gratuita para familias sin seguro en nuestra Clínica Maya, alimentos para familias con dificultades en nuestra despensa de alimentos y asistencia con solicitudes, traduc ciones, navegación por el sistema legal y respuesta a cualquier otra necesidad de la comunidad a través de nuestro departamento de Di vulgación. Cada día, servimos a nuestras familias al mismo tiempo que abogamos por un futuro mejor. Nuestra comunidad sabe que en el Centro Maya tienen un hogar.
THE RESERVOIR
The Reservoir is the cultural space for contributors to highlight customs, celebrations, holidays, rituals, recipes, and more. To contribute, send your article ideas to thewell@bewellpbc.org with “The Reservoir” in the subject line. Desde entonces, nuestra organi zación se ha expandido para servir hasta 1400 familias cada mes. Nuestro objetivo es hacer que los servicios sean accesibles y cerrar las brechas entre los sistemas existentes y nuestra comunidad. Las necesi dades de nuestra comunidad Maya son particularmente únicas debido a su estatus migratorio y las barre ras culturales y lingüísticas exis tentes. En Guatemala, hay más de 22 idiomas mayas y muchos dialec tos dentro de esos idiomas. Podem os servir mejor a la población Maya ya que tenemos 4 de los idiomas Mayas más hablados representados en el personal (q’anjob’al, akateko, mam y popti’) y tenemos miem bros de la comunidad dispuestos a ayudar con las traducciones para aún más. También contamos con miembros del personal que hablan inglés, español y portugués, lo que significa que podemos servir a una variedad de familias inmigrantes.
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The Well Of PBC / Aug Issue 202214 E
mployee wellness is a truly fundamental element of any business or organization. It impacts a workplace’s culture and productivity. Wellness within a work place has a powerful effect on employees’ physical, mental, and emotional well-be ing and is a fundamental component of a business’s growth, stability, strength, and sustainability. This is why wellness programs are becoming more popular than ever. A business or organization with a well-curated wellness program incorporated into its culture provides employees with essential tools to support and maintain social, mental, and physical well-being. Providing these tools has the power to prevent chronic diseases in the workplace.
” By Kayla Roderman and Pat Ciavolo
The purpose-driven, family-owned orga nization with a dynamic 126-year history takes its commitment to employee welfare and social responsibility seriously. This has been fundamental to the company’s success, longevity, and popularity when it comes to both employees and visitors. To show their dedication to their team mem
BEYOND THE COUCH
The iconic Breakers Palm Beach implements crucial wellness initiatives to enhance the lives of their team members A business or organization with a well-curated wellness program incorporated into its culture provides employees with essential tools to support and maintain social, mental, and physical well-being. “
The Breakers, a local, iconic resort in Palm Beach, has recently introduced three customized initiatives to its ev er-evolving, wellness-centered workplace.
Working on Mental Health
As part of the resort’s mission, The Breakers will continue to contribute to the advancement of a diverse, inclusive workplace by creating a safe space where employees can thrive both professionally and personally.
The Well Of PBC / Aug Issue 2022 15 bers, the resort has introduced extensive new programs with a focus on mental health, parenting, diversity, equity, and inclusion. They introduced these with the expectation that they would greatly im prove their employee’s wellness and that these resources create a more enriching experience and workplace.
tionally this population has shown lower engagement levels within the company’s wellness incentive program, and there fore The Breakers Wellness Program for Team Members of Color with Dr. Finley was created. This 3-4 month program includes a confidential biometric screen ing that provides tracked, measurable outcomes to proactively bring awareness to health disparities and prevent chron ic disease. Team members participate during paid work hours and are encour aged to prioritize their health - making a positive impact in areas such as nutrition, exercise, mental health, sleep, and more. The third initiative introduced is geared towards mothers, fathers, and guardians who could sometimes use extra support. Parent’s Corner brings together caretak ers of different experience levels and al lows them to share personal stories, chal lenges, and referrals, as well as exchange parenting ideas, advice, information, and resources. “Our team members enjoy this program because they can speak open ly, hear an insight that’s relatable, and receive positive parenting solutions,” said Pat Ciavola, Director of Team Member Development at The Breakers. Since implementing this new initiative, the resort has seen employees come to gether to share commonalities, regardless of gender, ethnicity, religious affiliation, lifestyle, or personal interest.
BEYOND THE COUCH
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.
The new programs recognize and pri oritize each individual and their unique needs. They offer highly personalized wellness services and resources so that employees may take better care of themselves, their families, peers, and the community. The first new initiative caters to mental health. As cited by Ferd & Gladys Alpert Jewish Family Service, one in five Amer icans suffer from some form of mental illness in their lifetime. The Breakers quickly took note of this and recognized the need to expand its Mental Health First Aid training taken by managers. Mental Health Is Everyone’s Business, a virtual training that raises awareness of the role mental health plays in both work and non-work life, was developed for the resort’s entire employee population. The course reduces the stigma around mental health challenges, giving insight and en couraging participants to help others by emphasizing self-care.
Another initiative is a fully-integrated wellness program that supports health equity for team members of color. Tradi
Art For RealBY: SIDNEY @ARTFOREALDOTCOMPENA Denim patchwork diamond bucket hat and bondage demin boro bandana jacket THE DRAW
Baby Blue Distressed Bandana Baseball Cap Busta Rhymes with Artist Sid Pena
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. “ ”
Denim Cross Messenger 3D Bag
THE DRAW Art helps me believe that anything is possible by believing in myself. A rt aids in my mental health by giving me a safe place and haven to create where I’m in my own world. Art has been my outlet and has guided me through my mental health journey by helping me heal during the difficult times I have faced. When I look at the beauty of creating noth ing to something it makes me feel joy and a sense of achieve ment. Focusing on something that captivates or inspires me as well as the people around me helps me stay in a healthy mental state. Art helps me believe that anything is possible by believing in myself.
Minis, the youth-focused training developed by BeWellPBC, has al ready been in the works through the assis tance of Students Connect. Through my volunteer work done through Teen Coa lition in Action (TCIA), I was introduced to Students Connect, the group that helped create the youth-focused mental health training known as “Mental Health Minis”. Although I’ve delivered other training sessions in the past, on topics such as vaping, underage drinking, and prescription drug use, I’ve never had the opportunity to talk about mental health. This topic did not become a true passion of mine until my later years of middle school when I started to see how social and academic pressures could impact my mood, as well as that of my friends.
THE FOUNTAIN
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We aim to cover a variety of subtopics related to mental health; these include addressing the stigma around mental health, defining mental illness, recog nizing signs and symptoms of mental illness, reviewing
-
Learning tips and tricks for delivering a training to teens
To gain the necessary knowledge, I attended a “train the trainer” session, to learn how to deliver this training and acquire tips on how to engage an audi ence of the usually unwilling-to-partici pate teens. Alongside two other interested trainers, I’ve since then had the oppor tunity to practice delivering the training both online and in-person, helping to practice the back-and-forth presentation method, as well as polish the training’s timing. During the in-person practice session, we were also given a model audience, made up of BeWellPBC staff members, who helped simulate different situations that may arise during real train ing sessions in the future.
“resources.andhealthyapproaches,effectivediscussingcopingskills,providingaccessto”
BY: TESSIE @TESSIEGORONGORON W hether it be test anxiety or pandemic-related stress, society faces a variety of different mental health-re lated challenges. However, it can be diffi cult to choose the “right” way to discuss them. In particular, teens are an audience in which the topic of mental health is over stigmatized, yet under-talked about. And while there is still quite a bit of work to be done on this matter, organizations like BeWellPBC have started creating innovative and effective ways to provide information and resources surrounding mental health to teens throughout our Mentalcommunity.Health
Youth-Focused Mental Health Program Teaches Teens to Take Responsibilityfor Mental Health
The Fountain is a space for youth to share their point of view on things that mat ter to them. To contribute, send your article ideas to thewell@bewellpbc.org with “The Fountain” in the subject line. One thing I’ve noticed so far is that teenon-teen interaction, in which the training is led by and directed toward other teens, is the most efficient way to deliver infor mation. In my opinion, this method adds a sense of personability and makes teens in the audience feel like they can relate to those delivering the training. As for the session’s content, we aim to cover a vari ety of subtopics related to mental health; these include addressing the stigma around mental health, defining mental illness, recognizing signs and symptoms of mental illness, reviewing effective ap proaches, discussing healthy coping skills, and providing access to resources.
THE FOUNTAIN
Overall, our main goal in creating and launching “Mental Health Minis’’ is to educate a younger community on mental health. But obtaining knowledge on the stigma around mental health, and more importantly, how to overcome it, is some thing not only teens can benefit from. Hopefully, the entire community will gain a better understanding of how prevalent mental health is in the society we live in today while shining a special light on the impact it has on the youth. As a famous lawyer and renowned motivational speaker, Mel Robbins once said, “Your mental health is everything – prioritize it. Make the time as if your life depends on it because it does.”
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Tessie Goron (center) with Leyla (left) and Torian (right)
W ith invested partner support and OD2A grants from the Health Council of Southeast Florida, BeWellPBC has worked with Palm Beach County students to develop curriculum for a teen-to-teen behavioral health training. From inception to implementation, the youth have directed the project, written and been trained in the curriculum with behavioral health professionals, and re ceived stipends for their leadership.
The new 1.5-hour workshop led by high school-aged youth trainers is now available to groups serving teens across the county. The interactive training provides opportunity for youth to learn about and discuss import ant behavioral health topics, tips, and local Theresources.training is 1 in a group of 4 mental health minis (the other 3 minis are offered to adults in Palm Beach County) to expand mental health awareness and serve as a precursor to the Mental Health First Aid training.
NEWS
LEYLA, 15 Q: What made you want to be a youth mental health trainer? A: I became a youth mental health trainer because I think it’s great to be able to offer people valuable information that I wasn’t able to get.
The Well Of PBC / Aug Issue 202220
TORIAN, 16 Q: What made you want to be a youth mental health trainer? A: I want to become a youth mental health trainer to develop skills that will allow me to emotionally assist those around me. Q: What do you like to do for fun in your spare time? A: I enjoy listening to music, reading books, swimming, and knitting.
Q: What do you like to do for fun in your spare time?
The youth trainers join the Palm Beach County Mental Health First Aid Coalition led by Ferd and Gladys Alpert Jewish Family Service of Palm Beach County.
Q: What do you like to do for fun in your spare time? A: Reading, baking, spending time with my family/friends and my dog.
Youth Mental Health Trainings AKA Mental Health Minis
A: I enjoy acting, reading, and listening to music. TESSIE, 16 Q: What made you want to be a youth mental health trainer? A: I decided to become a trainer because I’m passionate about mental health and educating other teens my age.
WE ARE EXCITED TO INTRODUCE OUR FIRST 3 TRAINERS Leyla, Tessie, and Torian!
To learn more about the training or to schedule a training for your youth group, please contact Alita Faber with the BeWellPBC team at afaber @bewellpbc.org.
FOR INFORMATION OR TO CONNECT WITH THE CAREGIVERS HEALTHIERBOYNTONBEACH.ORG/CONTACT-USBEWELLPBC.ORG/CONTACTCLUB:
In alignment with our lofty goal to have “a community in which every person in Palm Beach County feels hopeful, supported, connected, and empowered,” BeWellPBC partnered with Healthier Boynton Beach whose mission is to “inspire, support and improve the lives of caregivers in the Heart of Boynton Beach community” to develop The Caregivers Club with a group of amazing local caregivers. The Caregivers Club is a resident-led, safe space for caregivers to come to care for one another. Through the sharing of experiences and resources, the Caregivers Club gives you permission to be you. Come laugh, cry and be empowered with care givers just like you. The Well Of PBC /
Aug Issue 2022 21 THE REAL
Join the Caregivers Club for their next event!
” I am a doneWellington.localwiththe 1. hopefulEncourageabout 2. I hope istsexpertisetoindoesn’t exist specifically 3. I hope to because none without Jesus. “ LATARSHA PEARSON-FOX MUCK CITY JOEL OQUENDO WELLINGTON, @JOELOQUENDORE What Free Resources Are You Sharing With The Community to Support Self-Care?
The Muck City Cycle Crew was started in April 2020 as a way to get individuals up and active amid the pandemic. At the time Covid-19 was targeting the respiratory sys tems and people with underlying health issues. Many of those underlying health issues proved to be more prevalent in African American culture. With these facts, the goal was to come up with a way to get people to exercise, build their respiratory system and increase vitamin D intake. I also wanted to take into account various health conditions and possible mobility issues that could possibly limit participa tion. As I thought through it, biking was the one activity that checked all the boxes. It offers a full body workout, builds endur ance and the respiratory system. During the pandemic we met daily. Post pandem ic, we gather annually to ride as a group. At its peak we had 88 members (locally & non-locally). “
COREY DEVERONICA GREENACRES @COACH_COREYJD | @HEALTHYHUB561 I own a fitness center in Palm Springs and a smoothie bar in Greenacres. One of the free services we provide is wellness profiles where we sit down with people and go over their goals, what they’re looking to achieve, and what has prevented them from achiev ing these goals. I am proud to share this free service with the community because by helping people achieve physical wellness, we are also helping them improve mentally “ ” CORNER TALK
CORNER TALK local Realtor/Content Creator in Wellington. All of the free content I create is the hope that I will: Encourage you to become better and more about your day/week/year etc. educate people in the areas I have in so that the misinformation that ex doesn’t rob them of the opportunities that specifically when it comes to real estate. reflect Jesus in everything that I do, none of it would be possible Jesus. ”
SUNSET BEACH YOGA is a donation based beach yoga meetup established in 2010, directed by movement specialist and 13 year ERYT Jessica Om. SBY offers 2 weekly 75-90 min yoga classes on the beach at Atlantic Dunes Park (Delray Beach) cur rently at 6pm on Wednesdays & Sundays (Weather permitting; Time changes seasonally.) As well as a monthly full moon class held across from the Opal Grand Resort. The classes are all levels and designed to increase breath awareness, strength, flexibility, peace of mind, and overall well-being. Participants often use a large blanket or yoga mat to practice on. The best setup is to place a yoga mat on top of a large sheet or blanket.”
To have your voice heard from your 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. WELLINGTON, FL @JOELOQUENDORE
VALERIE PASQUALE NORTH PALM BEACH @VAL_FLREALTOR
“Girls Just Wanna Have Fun is a group for women, mostly 50+, to feel supported and a sense of be longing through various activities like shopping, dining, and outdoor activities, all while raising dona tions of money and canned goods to support local charities. I run it alongside my coordinator Michelle French, and we enjoy helping people.”
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JESSICA OM DELRAY BEACH @WANDERINGHEARTIST
OQUENDO
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 re lationships, 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.
The Well Of PBC / Aug Issue 202224 THE PROVIDERS
Expanding Student Mental Health Support through School-Based Care
1 NAMI.org 2 The U.S. Surgeon General’s Advisory (2021). Protecting Youth Mental Health, Whit ney DG, Peterson MD. US National and State-Level Prevalence of Mental Health Disorders and Disparities of Mental Health Care Use in Children. JAMA Pediatr. 32019;173(4):389–391.Mentalhealth.gov
T he well-being of children and adolescents is import ant. With 1 in 6 youth (6-17) experiencing a mental health disorder each year1 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 appro priate 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 well-being 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
BY: MICHAEL C. KANE, PH.D. MANAGER, BEHAVIORAL HEALTH SERVICES
Schools have highly trained and skilled professionals in place to support student mental health. Any parent with concerns about the social, emotional or behav ioral well-being of their child should contact their child’s school.
• School counselors are in all schools to provide classroom lessons, individual and small group counseling and academ ic advising to students.
THE PROVIDERS
The Providers is a space for providers, practi tioners, thought leaders, and systems change lead ers to share. To contribute, send your article ideas to thewell@bewellpbc.org with “The Providers” in the subject line.
• 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 35 Behavioral Health Agreements and school staff can assist parents to get connected to the best resource.
POTENTIAL SIGNS THAT A YOUTH NEEDS HELP YOUNG CHILDREN OLDER CHILDREN AND ADOLESCENTS • Frequent tantrums or frequent/intense irritability • Frequent talk about fears or worries • Frequent complaints about stomach aches or headaches with no known medical cause • Sleeps too much or too little • Frequent nightmares • Not interested in playing with other children or difficulty making friends • Academic difficulty or recent decline in grade • Loss of interest in things once previously enjoyed • Low or no energy • Sleeping too much or too little, or seems sleepy throughout the day • Spending more and more time alone • Avoiding social activities with friends and families • Smoking, drinking alcohol, or drug use • Engaging in risky behaviors alone or with friends • Engaging in self harm behaviors
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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-be ing is important and schools are ready to partner with parents to create a safe supportive learning environment for children.
Finally, parents or students can also look for information on the Caring First website (https://www2.palmbeachschools.org/car ingfirst/). 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 behavioral_and_mental_health.https://www.palmbeachschools.org/departments/
• Every District school employs a School Behavioral Health Professional (SBHP). SBHPs support the personal, social, emotional and academic growth of students.
• Approximately 130 school psychologists are in place to provide a broad range of comprehensive services in mental health, learning and behavior.
THE DEPTH
O ne of the primary roles of religion is to lend meaningful order to the chaos of time. For thousands of years, the Jewish people looked to the Torah, the first five books of the Hebrew scriptures, to guide them in creating the Hebrew calendar. In the first chapter of the book of Gen esis, we read the familiar words: “It was evening, and it was morning, a first day.”
The Well Of PBC / Aug Issue 202226
Living JewishinTime
Thus in Jewish tradition, a “day” begins with sunset in the evening. The rabbis taught that when you can see three stars in the sky, you know that the evening has fallen and a new “day” has begun. In the book of Leviticus, the Torah describes “the set times” of the year, the holy days and festivals we were asked to observe.
In ancient times, the priests carefully marked the cycle of the moon, and when they determined that a new moon had arrived, they would sound the Shofar, the ram’s horn, from the corners of the Temple mount in Jerusalem to announce to the nation that a new month had begun. “ ”
By: Rabbi Dan Levin | Senior Rabbi | Temple Beth El of Boca Raton
The Well Of PBC / Aug Issue 2022 27
THE DEPTH
God gathered all the Israelites together at Mount Sinai to speak the words of the Ten Commandments and present the gift of TheTorah.Torah teaches that the Jewish High Holy Days take place in the seventh month – the month of Tishri, which usually falls in September. The first day of the seventh month is called Rosh HaShanah – the Head of the Year. This day traditionally marked the first day of the world’s creation, and thus as the birthday of the world, was celebrated as “Jewish New Year.” It also signaled that the period of communal repentance and atonement had begun. Ten days later comes Yom Kippur – the Day of Atonement –the holiest day of the year for Jewish people. Beginning at sundown, Jews observe a 24-hour fast, spending the day in prayer and reflection during which we must confess and ask forgiveness for our sins. Because the 12-month lunar calendar is only 354 days, and the solar year is 365 days, approximately every four years, the Hebrew calendar adds a “leap month” – a second Hebrew month of Adar, the last month in the Hebrew calendar. This adjustment keeps the Hebrew calendar aligned with the solar year but also causes the holy days to fluctuate – sometimes earlier in the secular month, sometimes later. That’s why you might hear someone remark: “Wow, the holy days are late this year!” But as far as the Hebrew calendar goes, the holy days always come … right on time.
The first was the Sabbath – Shabbat. While the secular calendar gives names to each day – “Sunday, Monday, Tues day, etc.” – the Hebrew calendar only numbers the days. Sunday is the first day of the work week. In Hebrew, it is called “Yom Rishon – First Day.” Monday is “Yom Sheni – Second Day.” Only the Sabbath, the seventh day, has a name –BecauseShabbat.each “day” begins at sunset, Shabbat begins on Friday evening and lasts through the end of the day on Satur day. Observance of the Sabbath requires that we separate the day from the rest of the week by making it holy. We make that holiness by ceasing from regular work and activity, and using the time for prayer and reflection, gathering with family and friends, and taking time to learn some wisdom from the weekly biblical reading – the weekly Torah portion. The Hebrew calendar is based on the lunar cycle. In ancient times, the priests carefully marked the cycle of the moon, and when they determined that a new moon had arrived, they would sound the Shofar, the ram’s horn, from the corners of the Temple mount in Jerusalem to announce to the nation that a new month had begun.
The Depth is a space for faith-based leaders and individuals to share their thoughts, guidance, encour agement, what they’re wit nessing, and more. To contrib ute, send your article ideas to thewell@bewellpbc.org with “The Depth” in the subject line.
The Hebrew word for new is Chadash and the Hebrew word for month is Chodesh - essentially the same word. So when the new month had begun, the community observed a day of celebration called “Rosh Chodesh – The Head of the Month.” Over time, a tradition evolved that Rosh Chodesh was a day for women to take a break from their normal house hold routine. The book of Leviticus continues to outline the other holidays and festivals of the year. The first month of the Hebrew calendar is called Nisan and falls during late March or April. As springtime was the beginning of the agricultural year, so was Nisan, the first of the months. The Jewish holiday of Passover, which falls in the middle of that first month of Nisan, not only commemorates the liberation of the Israelites from slavery in Egypt but also marks the end of the rainy season and the beginning of the agricul tural cycle. Fifty days later, on the 6th day of the Hebrew month of Sivan, Jews observe the festival of Shavuot – weeks. This fes tival celebrates the first fruits of the grain harvest and also commemorates when
Brown Skin Brunchin’ has established itself as a lifestyle brand for women and will continue to implement events, initiatives, partnershipsandthat will provide women with a social experience that can’t be “elsewhere.found
The brunch group was founded by lifelong best friends Lillian Jackson & Melissa Mason. The first chapters to host a brunch were Las Vegas & Richmond, VA. When discussing the beginnings of Brown Skin Brunchin’, Co-Founder Lillian stated, “I remember the first few months of starting the group and we were only in a few cities and we only had about 15 people a month.” But that low turnout did not last long. Within six months other cities such as Los Angeles and San An tonio popped up with a chapter. By the beginning of 2020, BSB had hosted its largest brunch of 50 people in Las Vegas and the group had grown to over 20 cities. Unfortunately, the group’s momen tum would come to a screeching halt in March 2020 when the Covid-19 pandem
The Well Of PBC / Aug Issue 202228 THE WORD BY: MICHELLE @BROWNSKINBRUNCHINMITCHELL
Brown Skin Brunchin’ Becomes the Social Group To join
BrunchFor
Meet us
Y ou just moved to a new city, and you don’t know anyone. Maybe you just need to get back to making your social life a priority, but you don’t know how to go about meeting new people. The answer to your problems: Brown Skin Brunchin’. Founded in 2018, Brown Skin Brunchin’ is a global social group that meets for brunch once a month and is created as an authentic space for women to develop genuine social connections. Brown Skin Brunchin’ is currently located in 75 cities across the country including international chapters in Toronto and Grenada. The group is consistently increasing and cur rently over 1100 women gather for our brunch events.
When asked about how the group handled lockdown Co-Founder Melissa stated, “we held a few virtual events, but nothing compared to the vibes of our brunches.” “Crazily, the pandemic caused an even bigger demand for Brown Skin Brunchin’.” Everyone spent months in the house thinking of what they would do when the lockdown restrictions were lifted and were more than eager to get out of the house and that caused BSB to take off”. When we resumed our brunches, cities were suddenly selling out and the demand for new cities was at an all-time high. By the end of 2021, we were in over 50 Fastcities.forward to today, the group is thriv ing and continuing to expand. We have launched a champagne line, Brunch in a Bottle, and have created our self-titled app, Brown Skin Brunchin’. The app was created as a space for women to contin ue to form connections outside of our in-person events. Events in addition to our monthly brunches are slowly being implemented. The app now has over 16,000 active members. Brown Skin Brunchin’ has been featured in outlets such as Essence, Sheen & Black Enterprise. On-Air outlets include NBC, ABC, and BNC networks. Brown Skin Brunchin’ has no plans of slow ing down anytime soon. The group plans to be in 100 cities by the end of the year and is welcoming anyone wanting to sign up as an ambassador for a city. Brown Skin Brunchin’ has established itself as a lifestyle brand for women and will continue to implement events, initiatives, and partnerships that will provide women with a social experience that can’t be found elsewhere.
THE WORD
The Well Of PBC / Aug Issue 2022 29
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 articleyour ideas to thewell@bewellpbc.org with “The Word” in the subject line. ic resulted in a lockdown. The group was forced to suddenly cancel all events and with no update on when things would go back to normal, the future of Brown Skin Brunchin’ was uncertain.
- Jada Wada @jada_wadaaaa
The Source is a place for Palm Beach County residents and experts
The Well Of PBC / Aug Issue 202230
I hope this doesn’t sound cliche, but I would suggest journaling. A tradi tional therapy session involves sorting out your feelings/thoughts through your therapist’s evaluation. But how a therapist comes to that evaluation is by receiving the information told by you seeking the therapy, to begin with. In my opinion, journaling could offer the same therapeutic assessment because there’s always a chance to go back and reread those pages. Also, in the heat of the moment, writing those pages will be filled with passion and honest emotion, so after time passes, it’ll be a beautiful thing to reflect on them with some growth.
Get your answeredquestionshere
- Dr. Paul Rashid I usually approach the situation with understanding and preservation. What I mean by that is my under standing that they are going through something and coming to the realiza tion that rationality may not be at the forefront of their mind to deal with me accordingly at that very moment. Once the episode has subsided, and I know for sure that they are ok, I would give them an opportunity to preserve our relationship by acknowl edging the disrespect that happened. We’re all human, so we’re not going to be perfect to one another all the time. However, as adults, we need to take responsibility for our actions.
How do you support a loved one through a mental health episode if there’s disrespect involved? J.G. I want you to know that you share a very common problem, supporting an abrasive friend or family member. Often, a person’s personality charac teristics and or mental illness worsens relationships and pushes loved one’s away. I find it difficult for people to improve their own mental health if they don’t want to address the prob lem in the first place. No matter how much you want them to get better, you can’t force healing on someone else. My recommendation would be not to argue about the illness, but instead, shower them with love and support. By focusing on your loved one, and not the illness, you may find that your relationship improves over time. Talk to them, spend quality time together, cook and eat together, take a walk together, and offer to join them in an activity that they enjoy. Additionally, The National Alliance on Mental Illness, NAMI, has sup port groups for friends and family of Q A individuals with mental illness. Lastly, our Neurobehavioral Hospitals of the Palm Beaches offers a psychiatric in take assessment interview which can offer inpatient resources if a friend or family member meets inpatient hospital criteria or provide outpatient resources for follow-up, both of which could be helpful if finding mental health practitioners for a friend or family member has been a challenge.
- Jada Wada @jada_wadaaaa
How do I address my mental health if I don’t have money for a therapist? D.R.
to connect and exchange information Get your answeredquestionshere THE SOURCE
You have a very good question and I believe there are a variety of ways to address your mental health needs with limited finances. Why? Because Mental Health doesn’t have just one cause, as it is usually multifactorial. A A Q A
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4. There are a variety of free hotlines, clinics, and sliding scale community mental health cen ters in most counties. PBC has South County Mental Health in Delray Beach and The Palm Beach Health Care District, both partially or fully funded by federal or local tax dollars. Toll-Free hotlines include calling 211, NAMI lnfo Line 800-950Q NAMI, Crisis Text Line by texting “NAMI” to 741-741, SAMHSA National Helpline 800-662-HELP (4357), National Suicide Prevention Lifeline 800273-8255, Veterans Crisis Line 800-273-8255 then press 1. Sometimes just acting on one of these ideas can help empower you in taking charge of your mental health, many without costs.
THE SOURCE
3. Read a self-help book. There are many self-help books on mental health conditions. You don’t need to buy the book ei ther, just go to your local library and check out a few books for free.
The Source asks YOUR questions to a lived and learned expert. Lived experts have experienced behavioral health challenges and/or are family members, caregivers, faith-based leaders, neighborhood champions, and influencers. Learned experts are behavioral health professionals, nonprofit agencies, local govern ment, educational institutions, system leaders, and funders. Email thewell@bewellpbc.org with “The Source” in the subject line to ask a question or contrib ute as an expert.
1. Focus on your physical health. I say heart health is brain health. So exercise regularly, which has been shown to reduce depression relapses. Eat fresh, whole foods, such as fruits and vegetables. Lastly, speak with your medical doctor, as there can be common health conditions that can be treated.
- Jada Wada @jada_wadaaaa A
Jada Wada Jada Wada is your modern day re naissance woman. Between comedy, business, and BDSM, her life gets pretty crazy, and you can follow the madness through her instagram @jada_wadaaaa. Dr. Paul Rashid Dr. Paul Rashid is a board-certified psychiatrist who has the honor of serving as the Executive Medical Director of NeuroBehavioral Hospi tals of the Palm Beaches. He wrote the self-help book Recovery Revo lution: A Social Blueprint for Optimal Mental Health which can be found on Amazon.com. Find out more at www. PaulRashidMD.com.
2. Speak with a friend. Finding a close friend or family member you feel safe speaking to and trust can improve severe mental health symptoms.
-Dr. Paul Rashid I have anxiety about the hectic school schedule returning after enjoying the slower pace of summer. How do I not let anxi ety ruin what’s left of summer? A.K. To-do lists are my best friends. Going from a laid-back summer to an action-packed semester is an obvious change. Schedule your stress. If you can see what you have to knock out on that list, you can jump right back into your summer vibes with some relaxation as a reward. Try not to overwhelm yourself with too many tasks at once and find a healthy balance.
The information presented is for the purpose of educating people. Nothing contained in this pub lication should be construed nor is intended to be used for medical diagnosis or treatment. It should not be used in place of the advice of your physi cian or other qualified healthcare provider. Should you have any health care related questions, please call or see your physician or other qualified health care provider promptly. You should never disregard medical advice or delay in seeking it because of something you have read in this publication.
The agency has been providing supportive services to Palm Beach County and the state of Florida since 2016. After receiving our first contract for services in 2017, Rebel has expanded services across the county to provide support to the most vulnerable andmarginalized members of the community.
The Well Of PBC / Aug Issue 202232 SPOTLIGHT
R ebel Recovery Florida is an accredited recovery community organization and a criticalpart of Palm Beach County’s behavioral health system. We are a caring and committed group of people dedicated to improving the health and lives of people who use drugs,those living with or at risk of HIV/AIDS, and the community at large. All services are free and are designed to meet people where they are at.
REBEL RECOVERY Florida The Spotlight is the space to recognize the amazing people and diverse work of behavioral health helpers and careers in Palm Beach County. To nominate someone, send an email to thewell@bewellpbc.org with “The Spotlight” in the subject line.
in tandem with providers and stakeholders. Her voice and that of others that she brought to the table, challenged the system in terms of accountability, collaboration and use of effective and evidence-based models of care.
In April 2001, Veree established the Federation of Families of Florida, Inc. (formerly Federation of Families of Palm Beach County) with the help of local parents and consultants from the National Federation of Families for Children’s Mental Health. Over the years she has provided training on what a family-driven youth-guided system looks like and served on various committees and boards on a national, state and local level to help usher in the Trauma Informed Care Initiative and the Re covery Oriented Systems of Care (ROSC). Her work helped to expand family and youth-run organizations statewide. Her current passion has led the focus of the Federation’s work to the western communities of Palm Beach County. Facilitation of the Glades STAR (System That Achieves Results) Community Partners group has helped bring together the collaborative efforts of faith and communi ty-based agencies and families to coordinate behavioral health issues impacting Canal Point, Pahokee, Belle Glade, South Bay and unincor porated western communities. The Federation Family Support office is located in South Bay and the BeWell Gathering Place is located in Belle Glade. Services offered include after school, summer and school break youth mental health support groups. Adults can avail themselves of parent training, life skills, information and referral, anger management, advocacy and systems navigation. Various evidence-based practices are implemented including wraparound and the Open Table (faith-based training model). Most recently, Veree was nominated for the Women and Leadership Award sponsored by the Executive Women of the Palm Beaches. WILA Awards recognize women with outstanding credentials and accomplish ments that display generosity of spirit, a commitment to integrity and diversity, and a genuine connectedness with others.
The Well Of PBC / Aug Issue 2022 33 SPOTLIGHT
In 2019, we established the Florida Access to Syringe and Health (FLASH), Florida’s second syringe service program, and have been providing mobile syringe and health services to Palm Beach County since 2020. We operate robust non-clinical services and programs to support anyone in the community who has been impacted by substance use, regardless of their relationship with substances. We believe that everyone deserves to be treated with dignity and respect.
Our founders’ own experience with substance use and the limits of traditional abstinence-based recovery inspired the creation of non-judgmental, non-coercive services and resources to meet commu nity needs. Everyone who works here brings their own lived experience. Our certified recovery peer specialists use empathy and compassion to build connections based on trust. These peers work alongside our participants to develop individualized plans that overcome barriers and improve health and wellbeing. Each person we serve is able to define a recovery pathway that worksfor them.
A s founder and CEO of the family-run organizationFeder ation of Families of Florida, Mrs. Jenkins has served as an advocate and voice for families and individuals with behav ioral health needs since 2000. After publicly telling her fam ily story of the strengths and challenges of the children’s mental health system of care; and openly making recommendations for change, she was hired by the Florida Department of Children in April of 2000 to play an integral and decisive role in transforming the children’s mental health system of care as family coordinator on the Family Hope Substance Abuse Mental Health Services Administration Children’s Mental Health System of Care Initiative. Her role was to help bring parent voice and choice, a youth guided cultural focus, to the system
Rebel Recovery stands apart from most RCOs because we offer both harm reduction and recovery support services. We understand that drug use is a complex, multi-faceted phe nomenon that encompasses a continuum of behaviors from severe use to total abstinence. We provide comprehensive peer support, navigation, and care coor dination to build participant sustainability and resilience. Today, we have extensive services that include specialized recovery support for participants experiencing housing instability, dependency court and child welfare system involvement, and navigating justice and re-entry. Our Resilience Against Drug Deaths (RADD) program offers commu nity-wide education on overdose prevention and response.
Today we have served over 1,900 unduplicated participants, and tens ofthousands of individuals through outreach, recovery supportive events and public education.
VEREE’ JENKINS
Palm Beach County-wide behavioral health and wellness initiative If you are a resident, provider, or system that shares our passion to change the status quo, please click the link to learn how to join the movement. WE ARE A JOIN THE MOVEMENT www.bewellpbc.org
