News
Florida Council for Community Mental Health’s Direct Service Provider of the Year Award Goes to…Laurie Reid
Serving in the United States Navy in the Persian Gulf following the Desert Shield and Storm campaigns as a plan captain in the line shack (aircraft readiness and flight inspection for pre-launch and recovery) for F14 Tomcats on an aircraft carrier, Laurie was promoted to a position in the Navy’s Personnel section where she could apply her naturally developed people skills. After her service to her country, Laurie earned a B.S. degree with a major in sociology, and an M.S. degree in Marriage and Family Counseling. In addition, she is a Certified Addictions Professional and a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist. She is an expert in quality assurance, clinical processes, clinical documentation, as well as specialized Medicaid documentation regulations and often provides instruction at SBH to other clinicians and clinical supervisors/managers on these topics. Serving as the Project Manager for SBH’s recent CARF re-certification, she was formally recognized by the SBH Board of Directors for her organizational skills and initiative due to CARF’s recognition and citation of SBH’s multitude of exemplary clinical practices. Laurie serves as the agency’s Consumer Grievance Advocate as well as the agency’s single point of contact for interpretation services. One of her most visible and well defined talents is her ability to clearly communicate clinical issues to administration, and to clearly communicate administrative issues to clinicians.
Laurie was part of the NCCBH’s ground floor Mental Health First Aid initiative and was on e of the first individuals certified in the nation. She was the Project Manager for the initial Florida training in Mental Health First Aid by the NCCBH for 15 community providers. In addition, Laurie has trained numerous individuals, clinicians, support staff and administrators in MHFA. She was SBH’s first pioneer in the new Behavioral Health Access Project which links primary care providers with the behavioral healthcare system, as well as linking the child welfare system with the behavioral health system. Working as a FQHC and a CBC each week, Laurie directly interfaces with patients and clients who in turn may need the services our field offers. She has been called on to Baker Act FQHC patients at times, and her work is deeply appreciated by the medical professional in the FQHC and the CBC. Her role as a healthcare navigator has positively impacted several lives in Seminole County and continues to do so to this day.
Acting in her role of our Veteran’s Coordinator, Laurie is often called upon to speak at functions such as external clinical gatherings and meetings, Chamber of Commerces, churches, governmental community service bodies, and functions focusing on adolescents and families of military personnel. Laurie has performed exceedingly well at those events and her media appearances. Although her official title is Director of Quality Improvement and Utilization Management, Laurie wears many hats and always reflects very positively on SBH as well as her profession and our service industry.
Please join us in extending our congratulations to Laurie on this accomplishment.