DLC is leading the charge for positive mental health in our community
For more than 55 years, David Lawrence Centers for Behavioral Health (DLC) has served as a lifeline for community members in crisis.
As the leading not-for-profit behavioral health care provider serving Collier County, we work tirelessly to provide compassionate, innovative and affordable care to individuals facing mental health and substance use challenges. Over the years, we have grown with our community, currently providing more than 350,000 lifesaving and life-changing services to 9,000 individuals each year.
Yet, we know there is so much more that we can do.
Our community is facing the worst mental health and substance use crisis in its history. These individuals are our family, friends, colleagues and neighbors. They are parents in the school pick-up line, friends of our children and veterans transitioning back to civilian life.
We recognize that it often takes a decade from the first symptom to someone seeking treatment. That’s why education and prevention are paramount to our mission of providing transformational care to individuals in our community, not only in times of crisis.
Over the past few years, DLC has expanded outreach, education and prevention initiatives to provide community partners, leaders and the public with information about how to prioritize mental health. This effort gives access to the vital tools needed to support overall wellness, whether at home, school or in the workplace. Today, we serve 13,000 individuals annually through our prevention and education initiatives.
Understanding the need to support parents and caregivers, we’ve developed specialized resources and trainings for parents, such as our Parenting Now and Parenting Teens programs. These valuable programs focus on communication, fostering better cooperation and guiding safe choices.
Our team of certified instructors in the globally recognized Mental Health First Aid certification program arms community members with the key skills to assist someone either developing a mental health problem or experiencing a crisis. This training session offers a five-step action plan to help better understand the risk factors and warning signs of a mental illness, as well as how to effectively support individuals in need.
Additionally, the QPR (Question, Persuade, Refer) suicide prevention training provides community members with a deeper understanding of suicide, warning signs to identify risk, and ways to discuss concerns with others.
At DLC, we are strongly committed to doing our part to end the mental health and substance use crisis in our community.
But we can’t do it alone. From educating themselves on warning signs to supporting DLC’s mission through philanthropic means, everyone has a role to play in creating a healthy community. Your support guarantees we can continue to provide transformative care for years to come.
To learn more about David Lawrence Centers for Behavioral Health, visit DLCenters.org.
Jessica Liria is the director of prevention and education services at David Lawrence Centers for Behavioral Health