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Manatee Glens
Nonprofit Behavioral Health Center
By Tracy Eisnaugle
Photography By Chad Spencer
In a crisis, every family deserves a place to turn for mental health and addiction services. Since 1955, the private, nonprofit behavioral health center known as Manatee Glens has been that place for local residents. Over the last half a century, Manatee Glens has grown with the community and today is one of the top 25 largest employers in the area with 450 staff including eight full-time psychiatric physicians and nurse practitioners.
Mary Ruiz President/CEO says, “The disorders we treat are not rare and we serve one out of every thirty families in our area. These families are very grateful as you would be not to be alone when seeking answers for a loved one.”
Manatee Glens is the specialist health care center for depression, alcohol and drug, anxiety, attention deficit, schizophrenia and bipolar disorders. More than 10,000 patients a year access inpatient and outpatient services at one of four campuses in Manatee County including Manatee Glens Hospital and Addiction Center at 26th Avenue East, Manatee Glens West clinic and walk in center in downtown Bradenton, Manatee Glens East private practice on State Road 64 near I-75 and Safe Children Coalition child abuse and neglect services at 59th Street and Manatee Avenue West.
Sadly, mental health and alcohol and drug problems do not spare those of tender age. Almost a third of Manatee Glens’ patients are children and adolescents. Manatee Glens Children’s Crisis Center accepts youth with emotional and alcohol and drug problems from ages five to seventeen.
“Panic-stricken parents don’t always realize that if they are concerned about their child’s emotional state or alcohol and drug use, they can bring their youngster straight to Manatee Glens Crisis Center for a three day inpatient evaluation,” explains Ruiz. “We are open 24/7 and can offer youth safety and reassurance and parents an immediate plan to get their child to a better place.”
One mother experienced this turn around first hand. Asking that her real name not be used this mom says, “My fifteen year old son David wasn’t himself for months but he scared me when he said he did not want to live anymore. At Manatee Glens, we found out what we didn’t know—that David was using drugs to cope with his emotional problems. Now the whole family is getting help.”
Manatee Glens also has a one-room school house operated in cooperation with Manatee County Schools. Jillian Meehan, Program Director of the Child Day Program gives the details about what makes her school special, “Some elementary-aged children can not cope in a regular classroom because of emotional difficulties. In eight weeks we are able to get to the bottom of what is causing their difficulty and give the student and their family the tools for a successful return to their home school.”
Manatee Glens Access Center, located on the ten acre park like setting that houses Manatee Glens Hospital and Addiction Center, offers psychiatric crisis emergency services to about 500 children, adults and elders a month. This emergency service is free and affords a quick and private evaluation as an alternative to long waits in a medical emergency room.
If needed, an admission can be arranged to the private hospital or the private addiction residential treatment center on campus. Detox is offered on both an inpatient or outpatient basis.
Manatee Glens is both a teaching and a research hospital. Lake Erie College of Osteopathic Medicine has selected Manatee Glens for the psychiatric training and rotation of Lake Erie medical students. Over 200 professionals a year are trained in all behavioral health disciplines including pre and post doctoral and masters prepared clinicians. Manatee Glens also conducts inpatient and outpatient clinical research trials in collaboration with Dr. Andrew Cutler’s Florida Clinical Research Center.
For more than 300 children and their families a year, Manatee Glens is their best hope to keep their family out of the foster care system. Nationally, the number one reason parents neglect or abuse their children is their own alcohol and drug abuse. With treatment of the parents, Manatee Glens and their Safe Children Coalition nonprofit partners are uniquely able to safely reunite children with their parents or to offer adoption for those who can’t go home again.
Ruiz says, “It’s ironic. We have people flying in from all over the country for our Addiction Center services and yet people in our own community don’t know we are here. We need to work harder to get the word out.”
Manatee Glens
Outpatient Admissions 941-782-4150
Inpatient Admissions (24 hour) 941-782-4617
Walk In Center 10 am – 8 pm Mon-Fri
371 6th Avenue West
Bradenton, FL 34205
www.manateeglens.org [2]
Copyright © 2010 REAL Magazine
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