Mental Health Awareness Month National award Sulzbacher to accept APA Gold Award
The American Psychiatric Association (APA) is set to honor Sulzbacher during Mental Health Awareness Month with the prestigious Gold Award for the groundbreaking achievements of its Mental Health Offenders Program (MHOP).
>>> STREAM ACTION NEWS JAX LIVE <<<
Through MHOP, Sulzbacher collaborates with The Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office (JSO) and various community partners to disrupt the cycle of repeated arrests among individuals with mental illness. The program offers comprehensive support aimed at facilitating successful community reintegration. Participants benefit from case management, psychiatric and medical treatment, therapy, housing assistance, disability processing aid, and peer specialist services.
In 2022, a staggering 75.9% of MHOP participants were experiencing homelessness. However, after enrolling in the program, an impressive 89.7% secured permanent housing. Moreover, the community costs associated with these individuals decreased significantly from $67,602 in 2022 to $26,992 post-program acceptance.
The recognition comes during the APA’s Annual Conference, where the association acknowledges psychiatrists and mental health advocates for their outstanding contributions to the field. MHOP’s success is attributed to the collaborative efforts of a dedicated team led by Dr. Coleen Bell, VP Health Services at Sulzbacher.
Sulzbacher’s MHOP joins a select group of innovative programs honored in 2024, focusing on healthcare integration, suicide prevention, and primary care psychiatry. These programs received the APA’s Psychiatric Services Achievement Awards, ranging from Bronze to Gold.
[DOWNLOAD: Free Action News Jax app for alerts as news breaks]
Founded with the mission to provide homeless men, women, and children the opportunity to achieve a better life, Sulzbacher offers a wide range of comprehensive services.
These include street outreach, daily meals, emergency housing, case management support, veteran services, job placement assistance, permanent supportive housing, scattered-site housing, and a therapeutic early learning center. Medical, dental, and mental health care is provided on its downtown campus, at the beaches, and at its pediatric health center at Sulzbacher Village, along with several school-based health clinics operated in conjunction with Wolfson Children’s Hospital.
Since 1949, the APA’s Psychiatric Services Achievement Awards have celebrated pioneering models of service delivery and innovative programs benefiting individuals with mental illness or disabilities.
For more information about Sulzbacher’s Mental Health Offenders Program (MHOP) and its range of services, visit https://sulzbacherjax.org/.
[SIGN UP: Action News Jax Daily Headlines Newsletter]
Click here to download the free Action News Jax news and weather apps, click here to download the Action News Jax Now app for your smart TV and click here to stream Action News Jax live.
