The Be Well Bulletin is intended to share with you, our friends,
some of the important things Provident is seeing, doing, and learning.
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A note from Kevin Drollinger,
Executive Director
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I want to take a moment out of this hectic holiday season to tell you how much your support of the work we do at Provident means to us.
There is such a great need for behavioral health services in our country, and we know both anecdotally and statistically that we’re making a difference. Just this year, we helped tens of thousands of people and their families achieve their goals. As a local, state, and national 988 center, we answered thousands of calls in the first months of this much-needed hotline for Americans in crisis.
Your involvement with and attention to behavioral health services matters more than you will ever know. We believe mental health is the foundation of a life well lived. To be able to impact a person’s life and help them build a brighter future is why we’re here.
Thank you for your support. Here's to a great 2023!
Kevin
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Provident Access Center Expands Cohort of
Graduate Students
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Provident is pleased to announce our Access Center is increasing the size of its graduate student cohort, bringing the total number to six. Representative Cori Bush helped secure partial funding for the expanded staff.
"The Access Center has been an incredible success, proving both that this service is needed and that our work is exceptional," said LaTanya Mackey, who supervises the team. "We're excited to expand and help even more people while training the clinicians of tomorrow."
The purpose of the Access Center is to provide stabilization to clients who are experiencing an immediate crisis and who would be better served in an outpatient mental health program than in an emergency room setting. The goal after stabilization and safety planning is to link the client to longer-term services and resources within Provident or in the community.
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Provident's LaTanya Mackey Discusses Behavioral Health on Expert Panel | |
Provident Clinical Site Supervisor LaTanya Mackey, LPC, NCC, participated in a panel discussion on November 15, hosted by FOCUS St. Louis and United Way of Greater St. Louis. LaTanya spoke about Provident’s services, how we address community needs, and our plans for addressing current gaps in care.
The topic of the panel, “Overall Health, Vitality, and Success of Our Community: Behavioral Health,” grew out of a community needs assessment conducted and released by United Way of Greater St. Louis in early 2020. The results revealed three primary challenges for the 16 counties in our region: Affordable housing, jobs and transportation, and behavioral health.
These discussions are intended to be an in-depth exploration of these issues, with the help of regional leaders and policy experts. This was the second of three panel discussions in collaboration with the United Way and FOCUS St. Louis. You can watch the full panel discussion at this link.
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Provident Receives Disaster Distress Helpline Contract | |
Provident Crisis Services recently received a $486,000 per year contract from SAMHSA to continue work answering the Disaster Distress Helpline.
The five-year contract nearly doubled the previous annual contract amount. Provident is one of only three national crisis centers to answer this helpline.
"The number of national disasters is, unfortunately, continuing to grow," said Lindsay Jeffries, Director of Clinical Services. "We are honored to be here to provident immediate crisis counseling to those who are experiencing distress following natural or human-caused disasters."
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Lawlor, Drollinger
Publish Article in
St. Louis American
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Provident Board Chair Edward F. Lawlor and Provident President and Executive Director Kevin Drollinger collaborated on an article that was recently published in The St. Louis American about the urgent need to fund and support additional mental health services across the country.
Drollinger and Lawlor touched on several important issues, such as the rise in mental health needs during the COVID pandemic, the new 988 national crisis and suicide hotline, the recent school shooting at Central Visual and Performing Arts in St. Louis. The two called for behavioral health in the U.S. to be better staffed, resourced, and organized to meet the growing demand going forward.
Read the Op-Ed here.
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Provident Welcomes Jennifer Becker as
Newest PMHNP
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Provident is pleased to announce that Jennifer Becker, MSN, PMHNP-BC, has joined our Psychiatric Services team. Jennifer is skilled in working with adolescent, adult, and geriatric service areas. She is board certified as a Psychiatric Mental Health Practitioner and will work out of our downtown office, providing in-person and elemental health appointments
Jennifer says she chose a career in psychiatric nursing to improve the lives of people with acute and chronic mental health disorders. Her goal is to create awareness around mental health issues and reduce the stigma that accompanies clients who seek care.
Provident's Psychiatric Services team has grown to four Psychiatric providers (all PMHNPs), one Registered Nurse, and one Psychiatric Office Administrator.
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Provident Crisis Services Recognized for Success During 988 Roll-Out | |
Provident Crisis Services has been recognized for its exceptional success during the 988 roll-out by Vibrant in a presentation to SAMHSA, the national agency that funded the 988 launch.
"They highlighted our ability to hire staff, our speed to answer, and our answer rates," said Director of Clinical Services Lindsay Jeffries. "In July, we had a 95% answer rate, and for the first week in August, Vibrant had us at a 99% answer rate. I think this is a fantastic accomplishment for the PCS team!"
Congratulations to the Provident PCS team on an incredible first few months as a 988 crisis center!
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Each day, you’ll be surrounded by dedicated, committed people focused on a common goal of making a difference by helping others lead healthier, richer lives.
We take our jobs seriously, treat each other with respect and integrity, and learn and grow in our careers. These are just some of the reasons why Provident has been named a Top Workplace by the St. Louis Post Dispatch for five consecutive years!
Current openings include behavioral Therapist, Community Support Nurse, Psychiatric Nurse, and Therapist.
Click here to view a full listing of available job opportunities with Provident Inc./Mary Ryder Home.
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Become part of one of the region’s
most-respected behavioral healthcare teams
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Provident Behavioral Health | 314.533.8200 | info@providentstl.org | ProvidentSTL.org | | | | |
