Central Florida Cares Health System, Inc., one of Florida’s seven Managing Entities, and the Orange County Drug Free Coalition presents a collaborative discussion among leaders on the impact mental health and substance use has on first responders, people in recovery, and individuals in the community.
The two-day event, on September 29 and 30, 2021, brings together community leaders to discuss trauma informed care, suicide prevention, substance use disorder recovery, issues first responders face, such as compassion fatigue and burnout, and other topics.
“By bringing together Central Florida community leaders to tackle the topic of mental health and substance use disorders, we can share our insights and learn innovative ways to help those who need it most,” said Maria Bledsoe, CEO of Central Florida Cares Health System.
Keynote speaker Senator Darryl Rouson shares his recovery journey and opportunity for all to change how we talk about substance use and mental health disorders. Our words matter – reducing stigma is a key to recovery and resilience,” said Thomas Hall, Orange County Drug Free Coalition.
The agenda includes Trauma Informed Care; Orange County and City of Orlando Co-Responder Model Panel; Suicide Prevention; Peer Recovery Support Panel; along with a Narcan use instructional video and FREE Narcan Kits distributed to all attendees. Local business partner sponsor is Rubenstein Law.
Events on Wednesday, September 29, are open to the public and will be held at the Valencia College School of Public Safety, located at 8600 Valencia College Lane, Orlando, Fla. Interested individuals can register online at CentralFloridaCares.org.
On Thursday, September 30, the public is invited to watch “Beautiful Boy” at Regal Waterford Lakes IMAX theater, located at 541 N. Alafaya Trail, Orlando, Fla., and participate in a question-and-answer session with Nic Sheff following the movie.
Central Florida Cares Health System is one of Florida’s seven Managing Entities. Florida’s seven Managing Entities oversee a network of approximately 300 health care provider organizations delivering behavioral health services, including mental health and substance use disorder treatment, to more than 320,000 uninsured Floridians. Providers meet patients’ diverse needs with “wraparound services” that address mental health and substance use issues and assist with housing, transportation, and employment. Florida’s Managing Entity model can serve as a model for the nation.
About the Florida Association of Managing Entities
The Florida Association of Managing Entities (FAME) is the statewide organization representing Florida’s seven Managing Entities. FAME’s mission is to advance the behavioral health recovery of individuals and their families in the state of Florida. More information about FAME is available at flmanagingentities.com.
