According to a recent American Psychiatric Association poll, nearly a third of Americans who set new year’s resolutions mentioned mental health as one of their top goals. Sweetser’s Senior Director of Public Relations & Advancement Justin Chenette discusses ways of making mental health a priority for us this year with WMTW Channel 8.

Sweetser’s President & CEO appeared on our weekly TV segment on WMTW Channel 8, Mental Health Moment. She discussed the importance of school-based therapy services and efforts Sweetser is doing with the legislature to create an incentive for more schools to contract with providers like Sweetser.

Sweetser’s Director of Recovery Services, Michael Tausek, appeared on our weekly TV segment to discuss the importance of the Peer Support Line and in what situations should someone call that particular line. The Peer Support Line used to be known as the Intentional Warm Line, but the name was recently changed to better define its purpose for the public.

Sweetser’s Senior Director of Public Relations & Advancement Justin Chenette appeared on our Mental Health Moment segment on WMTW Channel 8 to talk about the importance of giving to Sweetser and to mental health causes this holiday season. Friendly reminder we are in the midst in our year end appeal campaign. Help spread the word with friends and family on your social media to encourage them to give a donation to Sweetser before the end of the year. Watch segment below.

Sweetser is one of only 100 projects nationally selected by Lowe’s to receive a hometown community impact grant and the only project awarded in Maine.

The $145,000 award was combined with other community-based resources and support to rebuild and revitalize the outdoor recreation spaces on Sweetser’s Saco campus. This included new playgrounds and a multi-purpose play court for the youth they serve between ages 5-18, K-12 engaged in Sweeter’s Child Crisis, Residential, and Educational Programs.

Caption: Sweetser’s President & CEO Jayne Van Bramer, Senior Director of PR & Advancement Justin Chenette, Lowe’s Portland Store Manager Tyler LaPlante, and representatives from Maine Community Bank, Rotary Club of Saco Bay Sunset, and the Pendleton Fund.

“This new outdoor recreation space will aid in improving the mental wellbeing and healing for the students and youth we serve on campus,” says Justin Chenette, Sweetser’s Senior Director of PR & Advancement. “Thanks to our amazing community partners and to Lowe’s, this play space will help children reduce anxiety and stress along with teaching important physical, mental, and emotional skills like cooperation, patience, and balance.”

Sweetser recently held a ribbon cutting opening up the outdoor recreation spaces to their young clients. In addition to Lowe’s, the following organizations assisted with the final project including Maine Community Bank, Sam L Cohen Foundation, Rotary Club of Saco Bay Sunset, and the Pendleton Fund.

Thank you to Marc Motors Nissan in Sanford for generously donating $5 from every oil change. The fundraiser brought in nearly $2,200 to support Sweetser programs. We appreciate them and their commitment to supporting those in need of mental health services.