This year the Mental Health Collaborative celebrated its 20th Anniversary of service to Indian River County, and its work has never been more essential.
Established in 2004, the Mental Health Collaborative was founded with the mission to
create a comprehensive continuum of care for mental health. The Collaborative brings
together private and public funders, mental health providers, and community advocates to
work in partnership. By coordinating, leveraging, and facilitating resources, the
Collaborative aims to increase access, reduce service duplication, and provide community
wide support for mental health issues.
Behavioral health conditions—including mental health and substance use disorders—are
widespread across the United States. Nearly one in five American adults live with a mental
illness, and one in ten have experienced a substance use disorder. The COVID-19 pandemic further exacerbated these issues, leading to increases in anxiety, depression, overdose
deaths, and suicide attempts.
Indian River County residents are experiencing increasing struggles with mental health, a trend mirrored worldwide. The effects of isolation and barriers to accessing mental health services have been profound on our community. Over the past two years, there has been a significant rise in diagnosed depressive and anxiety disorders among women and men, teens and adults. Even more alarming, the rate of teen hospitalizations and deaths by suicide has increased, surpassing the state average.
While these challenges persist, community partners face difficulties recruiting and retaining qualified therapists and psychiatrists, further limiting access to critical services.
Access to care remains a significant challenge due to a nationwide shortage of behavioral health professionals. Approximately 37% of the U.S. population lives in areas with shortages of psychologists, counselors, and social workers. Rural and underserved communities, like parts of Indian River County, are particularly affected.
Introducing the Clinical Development Cohort (CDC)
In response to this crisis, and to address workforce shortages locally, the Mental Health
Collaborative has launched the Clinical Development Cohort (CDC), a first-of-its-kind
initiative for Indian River County. Developed in partnership with, and funded by, the
John’s Island Community Service League, the CDC program provides incentives and
professional development opportunities for mental health professionals.
This innovative initiative supports local health agencies in recruiting and retaining
critical mental health clinicians. Thirteen clinicians joined the inaugural CDC cohort,
strengthening the capacity of mental health providers to serve the community.
As the Mental Health Collaborative celebrates its 20th Anniversary, it is immensely
grateful for the support of the John’s Island Community Service League, which has
made the CDC initiative possible. The Service League is celebrating 45 years of
dedication to community service and its steadfast commitment to mental health has
been instrumental in addressing this urgent need.
“We’re immensely grateful to the John’s Island Community Service League for their
generous support,” said Wes Samons, Executive Director of the Mental Health
Collaborative. “Their commitment to our mission has been invaluable in expanding our
impact.”
The John’s Island Community Service League and the Mental Health Collaborative
celebrate this partnership and look forward to the positive outcomes the CDC initiative
will bring by creating pathways to better mental health, thus ensuring that individuals
and families in Indian River County have access to the care and support they deserve.
www.mhcollaborative.org [email protected] Office: (772)217-3663.
