Rebekah Strasburger, a parent from Brunswick, whose child is accessing support from a Sweetser school-based clinician, talks about the positive impact of the program and the need for services to continue.

Brandon Somes and Douglas Weaver

Sweetser recently welcomed Brandon Somes and Douglas Weaver to its leadership team.

Brandon Somes joined Sweetser in March 2024 as the Director of Quality. He is responsible for working with teams at all levels of Sweetser programs and departments to improve key client outcomes, identify opportunities for improvement, and build systems and processes that ensure safe delivery and thorough documentation of care/services.

Brandon began his career in youth residential behavioral health, and has extensive experience in direct care and day school treatment programs, as well as staff training and development. He has also worked in an improvement role focused on reducing use of restraint and managing organization accreditation-related activities. Since moving to Maine in 2020, Brandon has been responsible for oversight and development of improvement programs at SMHC and InterMed.

He is driven by a desire to help care teams and direct care staff improve client outcomes, while making their work easier and safer. Originally from rural Western Mass, he and his wife moved to Maine to be closer to the ocean and Portland. He has two rescue dogs and loves to hike, swim, run, bike and do pretty much anything outside.

Douglas Weaver is the Clinical Director of Adult Residential. He joined Sweetser in 2023 as the Clinical Supervisor for the Behavioral Health Home program in Brunswick. Douglas has extensive experience working with clients suffering from severe and persistent mental illness, and he has worked in the mental health field since 2010.

Douglas’ background includes positions in residential treatment, daily living supports, Assertive Community Treatment, Home and Community-Based Treatment, inpatient psychiatric and detox in a hospital setting, and outpatient counseling. He earned his MSW from the University of New England in 2018, and is an LCSW and a CCS (Certified Clinical Supervisor). Douglas is an eight-year veteran of the United States Army and served in Iraq.

For many Maine youth who struggle with a highest level of mental health and behavioral challenges, they either have to be sent out of state to secure psychiatric residential treatment facilities as far away as Arkansas and Utah or they get stuck with long stays in Emergency Rooms in hospitals because there is no place for them to receive care. Sweetser’s President & CEO Jayne Van Bramer discusses the need for such a facility in this week’s Mental Health Moment. Recently, the legislature’s HHS committee has unanimously voted to recommend moving forward to support PRTF and funding the necessary capital costs.

MAINE PUBLIC RADIO

Sweetser’s President & CEO Jayne Van Bramer was interviewed by Maine Public Radio on the dire need for state funding to keep school-based therapy services afloat for students and their families.

STORY HERE

PORTLAND PRESS HERALD

In the Portland Press Herald, Sweetser’s OP-ED breaks down why providers like ours are creatively subsidizing the cost of mental health services at public schools and what the solution is.

STORY HERE

BANGOR DAILY NEWS

Check out this letter to the editor in The Bangor Daily News from former State Representative and current Sweetser Board Member Jay McCreight about the importance of supporting Rep. Rachel Talbot Ross’s LD 2002 to stabilize youth mental health therapy in schools.

STORY HERE

Kristine Gile and Craig Wilcox

Welcome to two of the newest members of our leadership team. Get to know Kristine Gile and Craig Wilcox.

Kristine Gile, LCPC, BC-TMH, NCC has joined Sweetser as Director of Children’s Residential. With over 20 years of experience in children’s behavioral healthcare, Kristine has been a therapist, manager, and director in a variety of programs. She has most recently been working in an accredited psychiatric hospital clinic as a director of services for children and adults with Serious Emotional Disorders/Serious Mental Illness that have had multiple inpatient admissions.

Kristine is a Board Certified-TeleMental Health Counselor, Nationally Certified in TF-CBT and will soon be one of the few TF-CBT trainers in the State of Maine. She also has DBT training from Behavioral Tech, Multiple CBT trainings from the Beck Institute (CBT-A; CBT-D/SP; CBT-P; CBT-R), is trained in CPP (Child Parent Psychotherapy), MATCH-ADTC (Modular Approach to the Treatment of Children with Anxiety, Depression, Trauma, and Conduct disorders) and PCIT (Parent Child Interaction Therapy).  She is trained in the Yale University Supervision Model and is trained and passionate about supporting staff in secondary traumatic stress.

Kristine has specialized training in working clients with disabilities including those who struggle with certain sensory disorders, such as deaf and hard of hearing clients and/or blind and visually impaired. She has presented at many conferences and served on committees across the country.

Kristine also has experience in change management, staff engagement, and developing and implementing a culture of safety in teams.

Craig Wilcox has joined Sweetser as Director of Facilities. In this role, he provides leadership and guidance for the proper care of all Sweetser facilities by overseeing capital projects, repairs, maintenance, and related activities.

Prior to joining Sweetser, Craig focused on owning and operating his own business, which specializes in the construction of new buildings and remodeling old properties.

Outside of work, Craig donates his spare time to causes that assist people in need and enjoys spending time outdoors with his family, be it camping, fishing, boating, skiing, four-wheeling, or snowmobiling.

Craig is OSHA certified and holds Associate Degrees in both Business and Culinary Arts from Southern Maine Community College.

Lacey Bailey is a Sweetser OPTIONS Liaison for York County and joined our weekly TV segment on WMTW Channel 8 to discuss the how liaisons can help people with substance use disorders and the importance of our partnerships with law enforcement.

Together we raised over $7,000 for Sweetser at our Kidz Winter Jamboree on March 3! Amazing performances by Rob and Amanda of KindKids Music at Biddeford Middle School. Appreciate our sponsors Jim Godbout Plumbing & Heating, Inc., Saco and Biddeford Savings, and Atlantic Federal Credit Union for making this free event possible and to the many kiddos and families for coming.

With Eating Disorders Awareness Week coming to a close, our New England Eating Disorders Program Clinical Director appeared on WMTW-TV Channel 8 to discuss different signs to look out for and ways to support family members who might be exhibiting disordered eating.

President & CEO Jayne Van Bramer with Denise Labbe and Marise Anagnost–the sisters who organize the annual event.

The 2024 Jamming for Mental Health Awareness & Suicide Prevention event raised more than $17,000 to support Sweetser behavioral health services in the Sanford/Springvale area! The event took place at the Elks Lodge in Sanford on Feb. 18th and is the largest event in a series of smaller fundraisers they hold throughout the year.

Several bands donated their time, performing live throughout the event, including Echo Brook, Middleman, Straight Up No Ice and Texas Pete. There was also a 50/50 raffle, bucket raffle and t-shirt sales to fundraise.

The event was first held in 2019 and is a collaboration between Sanford Elks Lodge #1470 and the Wolves Social Club.