Mental health grants to aid veterans

Lee Mental Health Center, Inc., a private not-for-profit agency, today announced that it has received a $60,000 one-year grant from The Able Trust to initiate a Veterans Outreach Project to serve Lee County veterans with mental illnesses or substance abuse disorders who desire employment. After successful completion of outlined first-year goals, the agency will be eligible for secondyear funding in the amount of $50,000.

The Veterans Outreach Project consists of three core components to serve veterans seeking competitive full or parttime employment. The first is evidencedbased supported employment services to provide comprehensive employment assessment to veterans in an effort to determine strengths, barriers, interest and skill level. Lee Mental Health currently utilizes supported employment to place clients in jobs and the program has been accredited by the Commission on Accreditation for Rehabilitation Facilities . Secondly, individual and group therapy specializing in Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, depression and substance abuse disorders will be offered to veterans. The Veterans Outreach Project will allow mental health professionals to identify a veteran's mental health needs while assessing employment strengths and barriers.

"This aspect is unique to supported employment programs as we will be focusing on multiple needs instead of just concentrating on employment," said Kim Marcum, Lee Mental Health Center's Recovery Services Director. "Often times we forget that successful employment for veterans may hinge on connecting them with other services to assist with their mental health needs."

The third component of the project is community outreach. Job coaches will seek opportunities in the local community to identify unemployed veterans diagnosed with a mental health and/ or substance abuse disorder. Outreach includes participation in the local Homeless Coalition, visiting homeless shelters and collaborating with outreach workers at other local agencies such as the Veterans Administration and Family Health Centers.

To qualify for this program, veterans must live in Lee County, be at least 18 years old, desire competitive employment and have a mental health or substance abuse diagnosis.

Lee Mental Health operates two campuses; the Ruth Cooper Center for Behavioral Health Care and VISTA Behavioral Crisis Services. The agency has provided mental health and substance abuse recovery services for Lee County residents since 1969. Lee Mental Health Center, Inc. is also a United Way Partner Agency funded, in part, through contracts with the State of Florida's Department of Children and Families, the Lee County Board of Commissioners and private donations. Additionally, the agency receives grant funding from the Cape Coral Community Foundation, Southwest Florida Community Foundation, The Gannett Foundation, The Foulds Foundation and The City of Fort Myers.