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John Aquino (954) 298-0747
MEDIA
ALERT
(Interview, Photo, Video Opportunity)
HENDERSON MENTAL HEALTH
CENTER
EXPANDS TO PALM BEACH
COUNTY
Fort Lauderdale & Lake Worth, FL – Henderson
Mental Health Center (HMHC), South Florida’s
oldest and largest not-for-profit, behavioral
healthcare system, has been selected by the
state of Florida to operate a Palm
Beach County FACT Team.
HMHC was the highest scoring respondent
to a Request for Proposal.
FACT
is an acronym for “Florida Assertive Community
Treatment,” an evidence-based treatment model
that uses a team approach of various professionals
to support 100 adults with serious mental illnesses.
The
state’s Department of Children and Families
awarded the $1.2 million contract to Henderson
Mental Health
Center
who will begin services January 1, 2007.
The award is also significant because
it represents Henderson
Mental Health Center’s first foray into Palm Beach County.
Said Henderson CEO, Dr. Steven Ronik, “We are very pleased
about this development on a number of levels. First, we get the opportunity to help more people
with a mental illness, using a service that
we pioneered in Florida, before being adopted
by the state as the preferred model of treatment. Growth such as this is vital in this difficult
time of Medicaid reform,” adding, “While Florida
remains 48th in the nation in per
capita funding for mental health clients, programs
such as FACT are essential to move Florida in
the right direction.”
Mayra
Reimer, Administrator of Community Support and
a longtime member of Henderson’s Management Team,
will oversee the program.
Ms. Reimer holds a Master’s degree in
Mental Health Counseling and is currently responsible
for Henderson’s
Broward County FACT Team, in addition to other
programs, such as a residential forensic program
known as the COURT Project and intensive adult
case management services.
###
Henderson Mental Health Center
is the oldest and largest nonprofit, community-based
behavioral healthcare system in South Florida.
Since 1953, the organization has provided a
variety of services to the community, including
crisis outreach, residential living and foster
care, employment services, outpatient treatment
and psychosocial rehabilitation, youth and family
programs.
updated
12/18/06