The Annual Report ofStarting Point Behavioral Healthcare

2013 - 2014

Board of DirectorsOur volunteer board of directors represents all areas of the community.

Cherie Billings, PresidentDrue Ashwell, Vice-PresidentDave Samson, TreasurerRev. Jim Tippins, M.Div., SecretaryMark Foxworth - liaison memberDave Griffith - liaison memberPaul BarnesNancy BellAnnette CalfeeWilliam P. FrankThomas McKenna Josh Martin

Executive LeadershipLaureen Pagel, Ph.D., CEOCatherine Dupuis, B.S., Chief Administrative OfficerHarry S. Turner, M.D., Medical DirectorLinda Ellis, LCSW, Chief Operating OfficerLaurie Chesley, M.S.A., CMA, Chief Financial Officer

To promote emotional wellness through psychiatric,mental health and substance abuse services andcommunity education and awareness.

Mission

Message from the CEO

The past year has been an exciting one for Starting Point Behavioral Healthcare. We launched a new community program, Mental Health First Aid, that brings awareness and education about mental health to Nassau County. It also provides participants with the skills and information they need to help someone who is coping with a mental health or substance abuse issue.

Among those we have already trained in Mental Health First Aid are law enforcement officers with the Fernandina Beach Police Department and other first responders. We are committed to providing this training to everyone who needs it: teachers, healthcare workers, anyone who comes in contact with other people. Because mental illness is an invisible disease; you can’t really tell by looking at someone that they are suffering from depression or battling an addiction to painkillers. Like a medical First Aid class, the Mental Health First Aid program helps individuals know what to do when they encounter someone in a mental health crisis situation.

As a non-profit organization, Starting Point Behavioral Healthcare relies on the community to help fund programs like these, as well as support the cost of care for those who cannot afford it. Our services are available on a sliding fee scale so that everyone who needs care can access it. I encourage you to take a moment and make a donation to support this critical work in Nassau County. You can donate online at our website, www.spbh.org, or with the enclosed donor envelope.

Thank you for your support of Starting Point.

Laureen Pagel, Ph.D.Chief Executive Officer

Dr. Laureen PagelChief Executive

Officer

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Message from the Board PresidentNassau County is growing, but it remains a very close-knit community of people who really care about one another. Along with the natural beauty we find here, this sense of community is what draws residents and visitors to our area. Starting Point Behavioral Healthcare is a reflection of the greater community, and we are grateful for the incredible support we have received from our neighbors and the business community.

Each year, Starting Point serves more than 3,000 Nassau County children, teens, adults and families who need help coping with a mental illness or substance abuse problem. We provide services in Yulee, Hilliard and Fernandina Beach, as well as school-based services.

Our volunteer Board of Directors is composed of representatives from across our community, including our own clients. They work many hours, tirelessly giving of their time and expertise to shepherd Starting Point’s growth. For more than a year, the board has been working with staff toward the goal of launching the Mental Health First Aid program because we feel it is critical to our community. It has been rewarding to watch the program take off so quickly.

I hope that you will consider getting involved with Starting Point and support the mental health programs in our community. You can participate in our annual Golf Tournament, attend the Mental Health First Aid class, or simply make a donation in support of our programs. Starting Point is a shining star in Nassau County and one of the many reasons we like to call this area our home.

Cherie BillingsChair, Board of Directors

Cherie BillingsChair, Board of

Directors

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Healing Begins Here

Our mission includes a commitment to community education and awareness of mental health issues. In addition to providing individual and group services for mental illness and substance abuse, we strongly believe that it is important to educate our community about mental health. The stigma that is attached to mental health continues, even though millions of Americans are challenged with these concerns. Nearly 1 in 12 adults in the U.S. had a substance abuse disorder in the past year, according to a 2013 study. That’s 20.3 million Americans with drug or alcohol abuse problems. One in five American adults - 43.8 million - had a mental illness in the past year. Clearly, this is a widespread issue that deserves our attention.

As part of our focus on community education, our Board of Directors made the decision in 2013 to pursue the Mental Health First Aid program and committed the resources to train two of our staff members to become certified instructors for the program. Similar to medical First Aid programs, the Mental Health First Aid class teaches individuals how to recognize a mental health problem and provide help through referrals to the appropriate provider. In some cases, that means calling 911, and in others simply listening and telling the troubled person where to find counseling.

We are very proud to be providing this valuable service to our community. Dozens of Nassau County residents have already been trained, and we are continuing our commitment to reach out to first responders, teachers and others who interact regularly with the public. But Mental Health First Aid is for anyone and if you have an interest in the training, please visit our website www.MHFANassau.com for information and a list of upcoming classes. You can register right online.

Our Services

Mental Health Services

Therapy ServicesWe offer individual, family and group therapy services for adults and children on an outpatient basis. We offer specialized programs for women and parents to help them create and maintain healthy relationships with their children and partners. Starting Point also offers a program for adults involved with the Mental Health court. Art therapy and animal-assisted therapy enrich our therapy programs.

Children and teen services include behavior management, dealing with chronic stress, anger management, responsible thinking, and more. Groups are available for a variety of age levels.

Psychiatric CareBoard certified psychiatrists and psychiatric nurse practitioners offer a high level of clinical expertise for individuals with emotional, behavioral or mental disorders.

Emergency ServicesStarting Point offers emergency services 24/7 by calling the main number: 904.225.8280. We also offer walk-in hours each morning. Clients are asked to call to pre-register prior to arriving for a walk-in appointment.

Substance Abuse Services

Opioid Dependence/Suboxone ProgramAddiction to painkillers can be a difficult and life-threatening problem and recovery is often challenging. Our unique clinical program uses a medical approach that includes Suboxone, a medication that moderates the effects of withdrawal from opiates. The program includes detox, counseling, support groups and medically-managed administration of Suboxone. This program has been shown to be successful in helping adults recover from opiate addiction.

Drug Abuse Services for Children & TeensStarting Point provides specialized substance abuse programs for children and teens. We work closely with the Department of Children of Families and the courts to assist and provide services to children who need help.

In addition to treating children, we also work with local schools to help prevent substance abuse. Project Success, offered to at-risk teens, is an award-winning substance abuse program. The program offers intervention, prevention and counseling on site at Nassau County middle schools and high schools.

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Dave’s Story - Starting Point Taught Him About Recovery

Dave S. has been a lot of places and seen a lot of things. From working on a Dude Ranch out west to a job as a hospital security guard in Jacksonville, Dave has roamed the country experiencing many adventures along the way. But perhaps his biggest challenge has been the mental illness that swept all of that aside and has given him an whole new outlook on life.

Now a resident of Nassau County, Dave grew up in Charlotte, N.C. and went to college at the University of Georgia where he earned a business degree. He wasn’t really sure what he wanted to do next, so he went to visit his sister, who worked on a Dude Ranch and ended up staying.

“I moved out west and began working on ranches, resorts and in the tourist industry because I hadn’t decided what career path to take,” he said. “I had to learn a lot of new skills. I worked out in many small rural towns, country towns, and ended up working as a forest ranger and firefighter in one of the towns.”

That, he said, is what led to his first experience with mental illness. After a season of fire fighting, he began having symptoms of panic and anxiety attacks in 2000. In the rural area he lived in, there weren’t any resources and eventually he ended up going to Jackson Hole, Wyoming, to see the only psychiatrist within 90 miles.

“There weren’t any drop in centers, therapy or many resources to deal with mental health. Just the doctor and the pharmacy. That was all they could offer was medicine,” he said.

In the meantime, his parents had returned to their native Florida and Dave heard about a residential mental health program in St. Augustine. His condition was only partially disabling and he was able to have a supportive living environment while working part-time as a security guard in a hospital in Jacksonville. Later, he was able to move into an apartment and continue working. Until his relapse.

When his symptoms returned, he began attending group therapy and learned about the “whole world of mental health,” he said. Eventually, he had to give up his apartment while his condition stabilized. Then, he was able to get a job working in a bookstore cafe’ in St. Augustine, where he did well for 11 years. He and a roommate rented a house, he bought a car, and was enjoying his life. But in 2012, he had another relapse.

Dave lost his car, the house, his job and the roommate. “I was getting sicker,” he said, “but I did not know what warning signs to look for.” He was admitted to the hospital where his medications were adjusted and he began learning why it was important to take them correctly. He moved to an Assisted Living Facility and began attending group therapy and activities at Starting Point three days a week. “It’s been a real blessing for me,” he said, “not because of what I have, but because of the education I am getting.”

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Today, he regularly participates in the activities at Starting Point’s drop-in center called Our Place. He volunteers in the kitchen because he says “ after years of working in the cafe’, I know how to make coffee.”

“The last relapse was a very severe one,” Dave said, “and subtle, because I was so high functioning. But I was still having hallucinations and delusions. But I didn’t know the signs that meant I should go to the doctor right away. At Starting Point, they have taught me about recovery and relapse, and how important it is to see the warning signs.”

“Other places just stabilize you or help you maintain your level, but here they encourage you that you can have mental illness and still work, balance a checkbook, whatever.”

Because his supportive living environment manages his medication and doctors’ visits, he has less stress - and that makes him happier. Support from his family has been critical, he says, and has allowed him to survive financially without working.

“In groups, we are talking about a new normal,” he said. “For me, success may be just not having a panic attack one day - or maybe all you can accomplish in a day is your laundry. It is a new definition of normal.”

In early September, Dave attended training to become a peer support specialist. In this role, he provides support to others who are coping with mental illness. He volunteers at Dayspring Village, where he lives today, by offering computer classes and heading up the annual holiday collection of gifts for residents. He also is a volunteer member of the local board of NAMI - the National Association for Mental Illness.

Dave credited Jodie Bailey at the drop-in center for being a mentor and teaching him about his illness. He also recognized Traci Fuglestad at NAMI for her encouragement and helping him with transportation to board meetings, shopping and other activities. “They really have helped me in my recovery,” he said. “It’s been a blessing.”

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Mental Health First AidIn April, Starting Point Behavioral Healthcare launched the first Mental Health First Aid program in Nassau County. The program trains local residents to improve mental health literacy by helping them identify, understand and respond to signs of mental illness.

The National Council for Behavioral Health certified two Starting Point staff members as instructors. Carrie Anderson Mays and Katrina Robinson Wheeler were trained in early 2014 and conducted the first training in March for Starting Point’s Board of Directors.

In May, the two trainers completed additional specialized training for law enforcement, corrections and public safety officers. The Law Enforcement module includes specific strategies for those in the law enforcement arena when they encounter individuals with mental illness or substance abuse problems.

For a number of reasons, individuals experiencing mental illness and substance use disorders often have more contact with the criminal justice system than the general population does. Thus, the better prepared officers and staff are to respond effectively and appropriately, the more likely the interaction will be a positive one.

Mental Health First Aid is and important educational effort that goes a lot further than emergency intervention. It really helps people understand the shroud of fear and misjudgment facing individuals and families who experience mental illnesses and addiction. The program helps to overcome the associated stigma and move people toward recovery.

Like First Aid or CPR training, the Mental Health First Aid program teaches individuals skills they can use to help someone in a crisis and know how to direct them to professional intervention or care.

Mental Health First Aid is an eight-hour training certification course that teaches participants a five-step action plan to assess a situation, select and implement

interventions and secure appropriate care for the individual. The certification program introduces participants to risk factors and warning signs of mental health problems, builds understanding of their impact and overviews common treatments.

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Thorough evaluations in randomized controlled trials and a quantitative study have proved the CPR-like program effective in improving trainees’ knowledge of mental disorders, reducing stigma and increasing the amount of help provided to others.

Mental Health First Aid originated in 2001 in Australia. To date, it has been replicated in 20 other countries worldwide, including Hong Kong, Scotland, England, Canada, Finland, and Singapore.

The National Council for Behavioral Health brought Mental Health First Aid to the United States in 2008. The program has been introduced in nearly 20 states and more than 40 communities nationwide.

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“I never thought I could be the one to ask if he was thinking about suicide.”

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Annual Golf TournamentEach November, Starting Point Behavioral Healthcare raises funds to support our programs for children with a Golf Tournament at Amelia National Golf and Country Club. We are grateful for the support of our many community businesses and organizations that donate funds and prizes in support of this event. The tournament draws more than 75 players each year who compete for a $25,000 hole-in-one prize, along with other awards. The event is capped off with a dinner and Silent Auction.

The day is filled with good times and great people, all having fun in support of Starting Point’s programs for children and adolescents. This year’s Golf Tournament wasw held on Monday, November 3, 2014.

Women’s Giving Alliance Grant Program Funds Programs for Women in Nassau CountyStarting Point received a $110,000 grant from the Women’s Giving Alliance for a program that brings together three Nassau County agencies to provide care to women and girls in the community. NOW-Today is a collaboration between Starting Point, Barnabas (crisis and healthcare services) and Micah’s Place (shelter and support for domestic violence victims). The two-year grant allows 170 women and girls who seek crisis assistance to receive ongoing behavioral health prevention and intervention services. NOW-Today will also address the need, identified by Micah’s Place, for parenting education by providing ongoing parenting classes for 60 women.

The program uses evidence-based behavioral health prevention and intervention services for girls and women experiencing a crisis. The program empowers them to maintain a healthier lifestyle, take an active role in their own care, and improve health and wellness for themselves and their families. The NOW-Today program includes individual counseling sessions and treatment for substance abuse, parenting skills, communications skills and more.

Because of the grant, the three agencies now can collaborate to offer these important services to women who come in to Micah’s Place or Barnabas and are experiencing mental health issues. Early results of the program show measurable improvement for dozens of women who have attended parenting classes, individual or group counseling sessions, and/or received crisis intervention services.

Among the success stories so far is Emma, who came to therapy with a primary concern regarding her relationship with her son. Through therapy, she was able to work through their tumultuous relationship and bring peace to their lives. Additionally, through Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, Emma was able to work through past traumatic events that she had locked up because “it was too painful.” After completing treatment, Emma is vibrant with joy and a love of life again.

The Women’s Giving Alliance is part of The Community Foundation for Northeast Florida, a Jacksonville-based organization that provides funding for charitable programs in the five-county Northeast Florida region.

Financials

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REVENUES

DCFFEESOTHER

1,379,811

1,536,601

636,893

EXPENSES

SALARY EXPENSESOPERATINGOCCUPANCY

493,284

2,561,013

568,761

40%

35%

30%

0%

5%

10%

15%

20%

25%

19%

8%

23%

35%

2%

6%

4%

0-12 13-17 18-22 23-35 36-65 65+

PATIENTS SERVED BY AGE

13%

PATIENTS BY GENDER

55%45%

MALE

FEMALE

40%

35%

30%

0%

5%

10%

15%

20%

25%

17%

29%

17%

26%

11%

6%

32011

PATIENTS SERVED BY ZIP CODE

32034 32046 32097 Other

Number of unduplicated clients served – 2444

Number of Non-Clients Served - 525

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Donors and Community Partners2013 Golf Tournament SponsorsACT Solution, IncBaptist Medical Center NassauFlorida Insurance Trust/LassiterWareMorgan Stanley Wealth ManagementAskesis Development GroupDominion Diagnostics

Hole SponsorsAshwell ArchitectBouchard InsuranceCorbins AutomotiveHarbeson, Fletcher & Bateh, LLPLakeview Health SystemsPrinciples Consulting GroupWells Fargo AdvisorsTom McKennaDavis, Martin, Bernard PABeal Consulting GroupFirst Coast Community BankDeppe CommunicationsRick & Pat Campana

Silent Auction DonorsABC LiquorsAmelia Community TheaterAmelia LiquorsAmelia National Golf ClubAmelia River CruisesAmelia River Golf ClubAnytime FitnessBar ZinBright MorningsCafe’ Karibo

Caio RestaurantCeramics on the FoxCherie BillingsDixon GolfDome Healing CenterFantastic FudgeHorizon’s RestaurantJuniors SeafoodMagnas SalonMaharaj Tennis LessonsMarina RestaurantNorth Hampton Golf ClubNY NailsOMNI Golf CoursesParkway GrillePonte Vedra Plastic SurgeryRed OtterSalty PelicanSerenity Hair SalonStarbucksThe Crab TrapThe Melting PotAnnette Calfee/Wells Fargo

Other DonorsJeanne DolanJoan & Alan DonaldsonBarbara Oden

Starting Point SupportersAmelia Island Art AssociationChardonnay FoundationPaul BarnesValerie SiderisEd StetzerJim Tippins

24/7 Emergency(904) 225-8280

Pre-registration hours are from 1-4 Monday - Friday

463142 State Road 200Yulee, Florida 32097

371015 Eastwood Road, Hilliard, FL 32046(904) 845-4033

2528 Sadler Road, Fernandina Beach, FL 32034(904) 491-2009

Starting Point Behavioral Healthcare is an equal opportunity and drug-free workplace and prohibits discrimination in all of its programs and activities on the basis of race, color, sex, age, religion, national origin, marital status, disability, veterans status, or other legally protected status. Starting Point Behavioral Healthcare employes only U.S. citizens and lawfully authorized aliens who can provide evidence of their identity and employment eligibility as required by federal law.

If you are a person with a disability who needs any accommodation, you should contact the office of our ADA Coordinator, 463142 SR 200, Yulee, FL 32097; VOICE (904) 225-8280, ext. 418; FAX (904) 225-9125 or E-mail adacoordinator@spbh.org.

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Healing Begins Here

Healing Begins Here

Healing Begins Here

Healing Begins Here

Healing Begins Here

Healing Begins Here