Sweetser’s got PRIDE! Together we celebrated diversity in all its forms at Portland Pride.

We had a wonderful group of staff come out to march in the parade and volunteer at our booth.

We also had a presence at the Aroostook Pride Festival thanks to one of our team members, Parker Beckom, and Brunswick’s first pride celebration with our staff Meredith Stack and Laurel Bailey. It’s important we support the LGBTQ+ community in every corner of our state.

SACO – Sweetser has appointed Jayne Van Bramer as its new president and CEO.

Van Bramer comes to Maine from Oklahoma, where she led the revitalization of a psychiatric hospital and outpatient service. The majority of her career was spent with the New York State Office of Mental Health, where she led the largest public mental health system in the country as the Senior Associate Commissioner for State Operated Children’s and Adult Services.

“I believe recovery is possible for every person with a mental health challenge or behavioral health diagnosis with evidenced based, holistic, and compassionate treatment,” said Van Bramer. “Sweetser is uniquely positioned to increase access, improve outcomes, and provide hope to more Mainers in need of care.”

Van Bramer replaces Chief Program Officer James Martin, who temporarily led the nonprofit community mental health organization during the transition period following the departure of President & CEO Debra Taylor, who stepped down in September 2021.

“Jayne brings a wealth of experience to the role, having dedicated the entirety of her more than 30-year career to behavioral health,” says Board Chair Jessica Demers. “Sweetser has its own promising future with Jayne helming our next chapter.”

Sweetser is Maine’s largest nonprofit provider of mental and behavioral health services, helping approximately 20,000 children and adults achieve promising futures each year.

Our 33rd year of hosting the Sweetser/Jack Chevrolet Golf Classic proved our most successful yet. Held on June 20, 2022 at the Dunegrass Golf Club in Old Orchard Beach, this year’s event raised more than $64,000 toward providing mental and behavioral health services to Mainers in need. We are incredibly grateful to our sponsors and participants for their commitment to Sweetser.

Once again, we had a full field with a total of 37 teams participating. We were pleased to welcome Jack Chevrolet as our new presenting sponsor this year. The event was in memory of Ira Jack Rosenberg, and we were delighted to have his son David play in the tournament.

Results are as follows:

1^st Place – Gross: Brian Gilbert Associates

                   Net: CGI

2^nd Place – Gross: Piper Consulting

                   Net: WB Mason

3^rd Place – Gross: Franklin Printing

                   Net: Transco

We wish to thank our major sponsors for their generous support.

Sweetser has been awarded an Impact Award from the Red Sox Foundation.

It’s the third consecutive year the Red Sox Foundation and the Ruderman Family Foundation have teamed up to support mental health providers across New England.

“We appreciate everyone voting for our mission to bring mental health services to more Mainers,” says Kelly Thayer, Sweetser’s Development Officer. “This award is a reflection of the meaningful work our staff does each and every day to meet the increasing need we see in the communities we serve.”

Sweetser will receive a $3,000 grant for placing 2^nd in the voting contest that took place during the month of May. The two other Maine recipients were The Center for Grieving Children and The Northern Lighthouse.

In total, 18 nonprofit organizations across 6 states were recognized.

Thank you all for voting every day, and sharing with your family and friends so they could vote. We appreciate your efforts toward helping us secure this win to support the critical work that we do.

We appreciate the Red Sox Foundation and Ruderman Family Foundation for their leadership supporting such quality organizations and causes. Learn more: https://www.mlb.com/redsox/community/red-sox-foundation/impact-awards

York Housing often creates community-building events for residents to ensure neighborhoods remain connected.  After the pandemic, it has become more important than ever. York Housing staff members Laura Dehler and Libby Hutton worked together to bring in guest speakers, massage therapists, chair yoga and meditation instruction, a variety of social connection and gratitude exercises, and a healthy lunch for all at the Wellness & Vitality Retreat, held Thursday, May 26, in the Baldwin Center on the York campus.

“Watching the news during COVID became too scary, so I followed baseball instead and I often still feel the need to disconnect,” shared one resident during the engaging program, which was attended by approximately 30 people.

The York Hospital Center for Older Adults and Sweetser, a Maine-based nonprofit community mental health provider, shared resources and information with residents who wanted tips about how to reconnect after a prolonged period of social isolation. Jamie Baburek, a Clinical Supervisor at Sweetser, asked the group to share both a positive and a negative outcome from these past few years. Responses included joyful reminiscing about adopting pandemic pets, enjoying a slower pace with more the time to listen to music, and gratitude for being part of York Housing, where they felt connected and looked after as a community.

“My wife and I feel so lucky that we moved here just before the pandemic. We all had each other here, and that made the stress of COVID more bearable.”

When asked about the hardest parts of emerging from the pandemic, many agreed being isolated from family was the most difficult. “I miss my children. It is tough to know what to do now. . . most of us haven’t hugged our family or friends in almost three years,” shared a resident. Another commented, “It has been depressing. I’ve struggled with anxiety and depression over the years and COVID made this an extra challenging time for my mental health.”

Jamie Baburek, Clinical Supervisor at Sweetser engages residents at the York Housing Wellness and Vitality Retreat on May 26, 2022.

Sweetser’s Jamie Baburek shared tips for resuming routines and maintaining a positive outlook. “Self-care is important, so do what makes your heart sing. Walk with a friend, visit the grandchildren, take that vacation, or go to a concert. But trust yourself and go at your own pace. Wear a mask if you feel safer, get your food delivered if you’re not ready to go into the crowded grocery store, and know that there are things you can do, like exercise, stretching, deep breathing, healthy eating, getting restful sleep, and practicing mindful meditation to help relieve anxiety,” Baburek said. She also added that mental health professionals are a resource for anyone experiencing deeper worries about anxiety and depression. “We’re here to help, so don’t be afraid to call.”

Medical providers help manage both physical and mental challenges, and one resident shared that he has “come to grips with my diagnosis of early stage dementia. I see a wonderful doctor at the York Hospital Center for Older Adults. Dr. Elizabeth Castillo is helping me with medications and meetings to discuss progress. I don’t know where I’m going to be in a few years, but right now I’m happy living in the moment with my beautiful wife of over 60 years. My anxiety is growing weaker while my understanding and acceptance grow stronger. COVID helped make me more aware of my own feelings and how I can impact the feelings of others.”

Another resident shared concerns about his fellow veterans as the Memorial Day holiday nears: “As a veteran, I try to look after other veterans here. I’ve called a few to try to get them involved in York’s Memorial Day Parade, but they haven’t responded to my calls. Sometimes veterans isolate. But I won’t give up on them, I’ll bring them lunch and check in on them, and hopefully they’ll join me in the parade on Monday.”

The York Hospital Center for Older Adults provides a comprehensive outpatient consult service with an interdisciplinary team, which includes medical, nursing, rehab, nutrition, pharmacy and behavioral medicine for our older adult population who have begun to experience functional decline within the past year and/or are beginning to struggle at home. The York Hospital team offers extended services to help older adults who could benefit from a consultation and those who have trouble traveling to their provider’s office due to functional or cognitive issues. To learn more about the Center for Older Adults or to schedule an appointment, call 207-351-2371, Tuesday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m., or visit https://www.yorkhospital.com/services/older-adult-care/.

Sweetser mobile crisis intervention services are available 24/7 by calling 1-888-568-1112. For all other services, call the Sweetser PromiseLine at 1.800.434.3000.

Special thanks to the Maine Health Access Foundation for supporting this educational outreach.

The Yellow Tulip Project is about smashing the stigma around mental illness — one tulip at a time. Yellow tulips are a sign of hope. When groups and communities come together, plant a garden, get their hands dirty, and talk about mental illness, hope blooms.

As part of our Zero Suicide Committee’s efforts to acknowledge Mental Health Awareness Month, our staff worked to plant gardens at various Sweetser sites (Adult CSU Saco, Brick Building on the Saco Campus, Brunswick Office, Saco School).

Shout out to staff including Wendi Dubois, Jamie Baburek, Nick Blunier, Laurel Bailey, Kelly Marshall, Val MacDonald, Ashely Frazier, and Mark Laverriere.

SACO – Sweetser has been selected as one of five finalists in a Red Sox Foundation contest during Mental Health Awareness Month.  

The 8^th Annual IMPACT Awards provide New England Red Sox fans the chance to vote for their favorite local mental health non-profit organization for an opportunity to win a grant. The awards will be presented by the Ruderman Family Foundation.

“While 1 in 5 people will experience a mental illness during their lifetime, everyone faces challenges in life that can impact their mental health,” says Kelly Thayer, Sweetser’s Development Officer. “Sweetser hits home runs with clients every day, now we need your votes.”

The top three organizations with the most votes will win a grant: $10,000 for first place, $3,000 for second place and $2,000 for third place.

Individuals can vote once per day through May 31^st using their email address at this link: www.redsox.com/IMPACT.