DAYTONA BEACH – SMA Healthcare is pleased to announced it has received two grants from the Southeast Volusia Hospital District (SEVHD), totaling in amount of $135,000. The two awards will pay for one year of service toward the following areas: a school-based counselor for Burns Science and Technology Charter School in Oak Hill, and an intervention bridge peer program for AdventHealth in New Smyrna Beach.
“Both of these initiatives will be important for the health of the individuals in the Southeast Volusia communities,” said chief operating officer Rhonda Harvey. “We are thankful for the awards provided by the Southeast Volusia Hospital District and look forward to seeing the impact that they will make.”
The grant for the school-based counselor will pay the salary, fringe, and equipment costs of one Master’s-level counseling position. Services that will be provided include: behavioral health screenings, crisis response, outreach and prevention services, counseling services, Mental Health First Aid (MHFA), Youth MHFA, and teacher trainings.
The counselor will be part of the school’s Mental Health Response Team, and can help quickly resolve crisis situations, address mental health crises, and refer for treatment.
The intervention bridge peer program will partner SMA Healthcare with AdventHealth to target individuals with opioid overdoses in the emergency department and opioid-related presentations throughout the hospital. When an individual comes to AdventHealth NSB with an opioid overdose or other opioid-related presentations, they will be connected with a certified Peer Support Specialist.
This specialist will provide bedside mentoring, education, distribution of NARCAN, and assistance with entry into opioid treatment programs. This process will result in the reduction of the number of overdoses and deaths associated with opioid use in the SEVHD.
“Our mission is to improve lives through exceptional substance abuse and mental health services, and we firmly believe both of these programs will do just that,” said Harvey.
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About SMA Healthcare
SMA Healthcare is a leader in behavioral healthcare and has over 50 years of experience providing exceptional and comprehensive services to individuals living with addiction, mental illness or both. We offer a wide array of services in Flagler, Putnam, St. Johns and Volusia Counties, which include the following: Prevention, Crisis, Residential, Outpatient, Justice Services, Specialty & Other Services, and Community Outreach & Education. Services vary by location, so please contact our Access Center 24/7 for more information. If you would like to make a donation in support of SMA Programs, please visit www.smahealthcare.org.