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Naples, Fl – David Lawrence Centers (DLC), Collier County’s only comprehensive, not-for-profit mental health and addiction recovery treatment center serving children, adults and families, is pleased to announce that the Richard M. Schulze Family Foundation (RMSFF) Board of Directors has awarded the Center a $150,000 human and social services grant for enhancements to child and adult crisis services.

The goal of the funding is to increase the overall service capacity in Acute Care Services which includes the 24/7 emergency treatment services available through the Emergency Services Assessment Center, Baker Act Receiving Center, adult and children’s mental health Crisis Stabilization Units and Crossroads adult Detox Unit for substance use disorders. The Center has experienced a growing number of admissions of people with suicidal ideation and/or behaviors in the 30-bed unit which is consistently at peak capacity. Until a facility expansion can be completed, this funding will help improve treatment services as well as the admission and discharge process.

The grant funding will help support personnel and advance new processes to decrease the time between referral and admission, and to decrease the average length of stay. These enhancements will help ensure more immediate access to life-saving, quality care for our most at-risk, vulnerable citizens. Funds will also be used to support clinical staff including a supervising physician and an emergency services clinician, in order to enhance the individualized clinical time focused on each person’s unique treatment and support needs.  

Scott Burgess, David Lawrence Centers Chief Executive Officer, stated, “The primary concentrations of this grant, and main drivers of our mission, are saving lives and returning people safely and swiftly to their homes, families and the community where they can continue their treatment in the least restrictive, most affordable way possible. The Schulze Family Foundation’s funding and other private donations from the community are critical to insure the Center can carry out this vital mission. We greatly appreciate their investment in our programs and the lives of those we are honored to serve.”

RMSFF human and social services grants assist families with a variety of needs including food and nutrition, housing or shelter, skill training and development and serious medical challenges. These grants offer opportunities that help people lead self-sufficient, productive lives.

The RMSFF previously awarded the Center a $100,000 matching grant in 2016 to help double the capacity of the Children’s Crisis Stabilization Unit and an additional $150,000 matching grant in 2017 to help build the new Children’s Outpatient Center.

Mary Beth Geier, RMSFF, Florida Director, stated, “The foundation and its board understand the value of mental health services and believe that it is worthwhile to fund agencies that are doing great work in that area. David Lawrence Centers works diligently and effectively to live out their mission to help those who are suffering with mental health issues. We are proud of our relationship with DLC and the opportunity we have, via that relationship, to help both DLC and the community grow stronger.”

About Richard M. Schulze Family Foundation
The Richard M. Schulze Family Foundation (RMSFF) was created in 2004 by Best Buy founder, Dick Schulze, to give back to the communities where Dick and his family grew up — in Minnesota, where he built Best Buy to become the world’s largest consumer electronics retailer and in Florida, where he now maintains a permanent residence. The Richard M. Schulze Family Foundation creates grant partnerships with organizations that generate transformational results in human and social services, education, and health and medicine.

About David Lawrence Center
Southwest Florida nonprofit David Lawrence Centers is a national leader in providing world-class mental health and addiction recovery solutions for children, adolescents and adults. The Center’s innovative, integrated treatment includes inpatient, outpatient, residential, and community-based services – a comprehensive system of care funded by community and government support. Each year, David Lawrence Centers creates life-changing wellness for more than 9,000 people through over 225,000 treatment sessions. To learn more, please call (239) 491-7602 or visit www.DavidLawrenceCenter.org.