David Lawrence Centers for Behavioral Health (DLC), Collier County’s only comprehensive, not-for-profit behavioral health provider, was recently awarded a $25,000 grant from the Moorings Park Foundation to support increased services for uninsured and underinsured seniors.
Funds from the grant will be used to help DLC provide inpatient and/or outpatient behavioral health services for clients ages 60 and older struggling with mental health challenges. Services include psychiatric evaluation, medication management, individual and group therapy, crisis intervention and stabilization.
“We are deeply grateful to Moorings Park Foundation for their ongoing support in making critical behavioral health services available to seniors,” said Kimberly Dye, vice president of advancement at DLC. “We understand that our older population can be particularly vulnerable to significant life changes that can impact their mental health, such as retirement, serious illness, loss of a loved one, or isolation. This generous grant will help us reach more seniors in need and ensure they have access to the care and resources essential for positive mental health and healthy aging.”
Seniors are a particularly vulnerable demographic, and DLC continues to see a growing need for services to support them. Older adults are at higher risk for mental health challenges such as depression, anxiety, dementia, substance use and suicide. The National Council on Aging estimated that 25% of adults 65 and older experience a mental health condition such as anxiety or depression. However, less than half of older adults with mental illness or substance use issues receive treatment.
Mental illness and addictive diseases tend to be chronic and marked by episodes requiring acute care. These services often require inpatient admissions and outpatient support.
“Through Moorings Park Foundation’s Community and Educational Grants Program, we’re honored to partner with local organizations who provide transformative support to seniors in our community,” said Jennifer Clark, Executive Director of Moorings Park Foundation. “This year’s grant to the David Lawrence Centers helps provide behavioral healthcare treatment to seniors who are uninsured or underinsured. The lives changed and saved through this essential programming underscore why our resident-led grants committee is dedicated to reaching beyond the walls of our neighborhoods to positively impact and address the needs of seniors across Southwest Florida.”
For more than 55 years, DLC has been committed to ensuring behavioral health care is available to everyone in need through education, prevention, intervention and treatment. DLC delivers care throughout the community through six distinct centers of operation, including mental health, addiction recovery, emergency services, awareness and prevention, virtual care, and children and young adults.