INDIAN RIVER COUNTY — More than 30 representatives from private foundations gathered on Jan. 14 to learn about community mental health services at the Foundation Forum hosted by the Indian River Community Foundation.
The session topic, The Continuum of Mental Health Care, gave the attendees an opportunity to learn from a broad perspective about this little talked about subject in Indian River County, including the intersection of mental health and the criminal justice system.
Indian River County Sheriff Deryl Loar launched the panel discussion with an overview of how mental health services directly impact a community’s overall quality life. His presentation was followed by a discussion of the subject by Dr. Robert Brugnoli, Executive Director of the Mental Health Association in Indian River County; John Romano, President/CEO of New Horizons of the Treasure Coast; and Dr. Wayne Creelman, Medical Director of the University of Florida Center for Psychiatry, Addiction and Pain Medicine in Vero Beach.
The Forum concluded with a dynamic discussion between panel and foundation representatives focusing on community awareness and the use of best practice models.
Paul Becker, Chair of the Foundation Forum and member of the Indian River Community Foundation Board of Directors, said programs such as this are intended strictly to educate local foundation representatives about needs and opportunities to improve the quality of life in Indian River County.
“All private foundations have goals they want to accomplish through their grant making programs,” Becker said. “Through the Foundation Forum we can introduce them to new areas that may help them achieve their goals or simply educate them about how their grants can impact the future of our community.”
The Foundation Forum is open by invitation only to representatives and staff of private foundations as well as Indian River Community Foundation fund holders.
The next meeting is scheduled for Feb. 25 and will focus on the topic of Literacy: #1 Indicator of Community Prosperity.
For more specific information contact Indian River Community Foundation Executive Director Kerry Bartlett at (772) 492-1407 or email [email protected].
