Helping People Succeed welcomes new leadership in Children’s Behavioral Health

You’re probably familiar with Helping People Succeed’s many programs – including job skills preparation and healthy families’ initiatives – but did you know the nonprofit also has a children’s behavioral health services program?

Geared towards building a strong alliance between therapist, child and family, Children’s Behavioral Health Services has recently added two important new team members.

Bonnie Russo, LCSW, QS, the new Clinical Director, has more than a decade of experience treating complex trauma cases.

Joining Russo is Vonetta Erskine, BSN, MSN-PMHNP, a psychiatric mental health nurse practitioner. Erskine brings 11 plus years of experience working with diverse patient populations in acute care settings.

“To say I love what I do would be an understatement. I see the way that therapy transforms the lives of the children and families we serve and I am very excited to be involved in improving the mental health and quality of life for our clients”, says Russo.

Erskine’s enthusiasm is contagious. “My calling is to help kids who are underserved”, she says. “I can’t wait to be able to share my Helping People Succeed success stories.”

They join a team of highly skilled therapists who are providing specialized outpatient mental counseling to children and teens ages five through 18.

Helping People Succeed’s Children’s Behavioral Health Services program has the ability to meet online, in schools or homes, or in neutral safe spaces, like parks.

Importantly, appointments are available almost immediately, not six to nine months in the future like some other facilities require. Residents of Martin, St. Lucie, Indian River and Okeechobee counties can avail themselves of services.

Any child can receive services; they need not be a previous or current Helping People Succeed client.

For any youngster dealing with depression, anxiety, ADHD, reconnecting after COVID isolation or any related issues, help is just a phone call away.

Payment options include private insurance and Florida Kid Care. Helping People Succeed bills for its services on a sliding scale and also provides links to social services agencies that may be able to provide financial support.

Contact Helping People Succeed at 772-320-0770 or www.hpsfl.org for information.