NAPLES, FL (June 10, 2024) – David Lawrence Centers for Behavioral Health (DLC), Collier County’s only comprehensive, not-for-profit behavioral health provider, announces a charitable gift of $30,000 from the Suncoast Credit Union Foundation. The funds will be used to support supplies and activities for DLC’s Children’s Behavioral Health Care program, including safety-minded clothing and toiletries for children who are admitted to the crisis unit, anxiety blankets and machines used to take vital readings, such as heart rate and blood pressure. This gift will also support a holistic wellness component of the children’s program that focuses on art, music and animal therapies, as well as meditation and yoga.

“We are incredibly grateful for this generous gift from the Suncoast Credit Union Foundation to support our efforts of providing hope to children and families throughout Collier County,” said Kimberly Dye, vice president of advancement at DLC. “We share Suncoast’s passion and focus on children’s well-being. Our goal at David Lawrence Centers is to give children with behavioral health challenges the best chance for a healthy future by eliminating barriers to services and providing a continuum of care. Through a combination of intervention, treatment, supportive resources and education, we can achieve the best results for our young clients.”

Suncoast Credit Union, Florida’s largest credit union, founded the Suncoast Credit Union Foundation to promote the education, health and emotional well-being of children in the community. Each time a Suncoast member uses their debit or credit card, the credit union donates two cents to the Foundation to fund local initiatives. Since its inception in 1990, the Foundation has raised and donated over $44 million.

“Supporting the well-being of children is part of our DNA at Suncoast, and we are honored to help advance the important work of David Lawrence Centers,” said Kourtney Berry, Executive Director, Suncoast Credit Union Foundation. “We believe it is important to empower and equip every child with the tools they need to be successful in the future, and this donation will help make that possible.”

DLC’s Children’s Behavioral Health Care program offers a variety of services for children and their families, including a Partial Hospitalization Program, a voluntary day treatment program, inpatient and outpatient services, and supportive community resources such as case management and translation services.

DLC continues to see an increased need for services among children and young adults. In 2023, more than 670 children and teens received critical care through the Children’s Crisis Stabilization Unit for suicidal thoughts, depression and other behavioral health struggles. Nationwide, suicide is the second-leading cause of death among children.

For more than 50 years, DLC has been committed to ensuring behavioral health care is available to everyone in need through education, prevention, intervention and treatment. DLC delivers care throughout the community through six distinct centers of operation, including mental health, addiction recovery, emergency services, awareness and prevention, virtual care, and children and young adults.

To learn more about the lifesaving and life-changing services and programs offered by David Lawrence Centers, visit DLCenters.org.

About David Lawrence Centers 

Southwest Florida nonprofit David Lawrence Centers for Behavioral Health (DLC) is a national leader providing compassionate, advanced, and exceptional mental health, substance use, and integrated healthcare solutions, available for children, adolescents, and adults. DLC’s innovative treatment includes inpatient, outpatient, residential, and community-based services – a comprehensive system of care funded by community and government support. Each year, DLC serves 9,000 people through over 341,000 treatment sessions. To learn more, visit DLCenters.org or call 239-455-8500.

About Suncoast Credit Union

Suncoast Credit Union is the largest credit union in the state of Florida, the 8th largest in the United States based on membership, and the 10th largest in the United States based on its $18.2 billion in assets. Chartered in 1934 as Hillsborough County Teachers Credit Union, Sun-coast Credit Union currently operates 78 full-service branches and serves more than 1.2 million members across Florida. As a community credit union, anyone who lives, works, attends school, or worships in Suncoast Credit Union’s service area is eligible for membership. In 2021, Suncoast Credit Union’s field of membership was expanded to include public K-12 teachers, college educators, and educational support staff from all of Florida’s 67 counties. Suncoast is passionate about community support. Since its founding in 1990, the Suncoast Credit Union Foun-dation has raised and donated more than $44 million to organizations and initiatives that support the health, education, and emotional well-being of children in the communities that the credit union serves. For more information, visit suncoast.com or follow us on social media: Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter, and Instagram.