1. The Annual Report of
Starting Point Behavioral Healthcare
2013 - 2014

2. Board of Directors
Our volunteer board of directors represents all areas of the community.
Cherie Billings, President
Drue Ashwell, Vice-President
Dave Samson, Treasurer
Rev. Jim Tippins, M.Div., Secretary
Mark Foxworth - liaison member
Dave Griffith - liaison member
Paul Barnes
Nancy Bell
Annette Calfee
William P. Frank
Thomas McKenna
Josh Martin
Executive Leadership
Laureen Pagel, Ph.D., CEO
Catherine Dupuis, B.S., Chief Administrative Officer
Harry S. Turner, M.D., Medical Director
Linda Ellis, LCSW, Chief Operating Officer
Laurie Chesley, M.S.A., CMA, Chief Financial Officer

3. To promote emotional wellness through psychiatric,
mental health and substance abuse services and
community education and awareness.
Mission

4. Message from the CEO
The past year has been an exciting one for Starting Point Behavioral Healthcare. We launched a
new community program, Mental Health First Aid, that brings awareness and education about
mental health to Nassau County. It also provides participants with the skills and information
they need to help someone who is coping with a mental health or substance abuse issue.
Among those we have already trained in Mental Health First Aid are law enforcement officers
with the Fernandina Beach Police Department and other first responders. We are committed
to providing this training to everyone who needs it: teachers, healthcare workers, anyone
who comes in contact with other people. Because mental illness is an invisible disease; you
can’t really tell by looking at someone that they are suffering from depression or battling an
addiction to painkillers. Like a medical First Aid class, the Mental Health First Aid program
helps individuals know what to do when they encounter someone in a mental health crisis
situation.
As a non-profit organization, Starting Point Behavioral Healthcare relies on the community to
help fund programs like these, as well as support the cost of care for those who cannot afford
it. Our services are available on a sliding fee scale so that everyone who needs care can access
it. I encourage you to take a moment and make a donation to support this critical work in
Nassau County. You can donate online at our website, www.spbh.org, or with the enclosed
donor envelope.
Thank you for your support of Starting Point.
Laureen Pagel, Ph.D.
Chief Executive Officer
Dr. Laureen Pagel
Chief Executive
Officer
2

5. Message from the Board President
Nassau County is growing, but it remains a very close-knit community of people who really care
about one another. Along with the natural beauty we find here, this sense of community is what draws
residents and visitors to our area. Starting Point Behavioral Healthcare is a reflection of the greater
community, and we are grateful for the incredible support we have received from our neighbors and
the business community.
Each year, Starting Point serves more than 3,000 Nassau County children, teens, adults and families
who need help coping with a mental illness or substance abuse problem. We provide services in Yulee,
Hilliard and Fernandina Beach, as well as school-based services.
Our volunteer Board of Directors is composed of representatives from across our community, including
our own clients. They work many hours, tirelessly giving of their time and expertise to shepherd
Starting Point’s growth. For more than a year, the board has been working with staff toward the goal of
launching the Mental Health First Aid program because we feel it is critical to our community. It has
been rewarding to watch the program take off so quickly.
I hope that you will consider getting involved with Starting Point and support the mental health
programs in our community. You can participate in our annual Golf Tournament, attend the Mental
Health First Aid class, or simply make a donation in support of our programs. Starting Point is a
shining star in Nassau County and one of the many reasons we like to call this area our home.
Cherie Billings
Chair, Board of Directors
Cherie Billings
Chair, Board of
Directors
3

6. 4
Healing Begins Here
Our mission includes a commitment to community education and awareness of mental health
issues. In addition to providing individual and group services for mental illness and substance
abuse, we strongly believe that it is important to educate our community about mental health.
The stigma that is attached to mental health continues, even though millions of Americans
are challenged with these concerns. Nearly 1 in 12 adults in the U.S. had a substance abuse
disorder in the past year, according to a 2013 study. That’s 20.3 million Americans with drug
or alcohol abuse problems. One in five American adults - 43.8 million - had a mental illness
in the past year. Clearly, this is a widespread issue that deserves our attention.
As part of our focus on community education, our Board of Directors made the decision in
2013 to pursue the Mental Health First Aid program and committed the resources to train
two of our staff members to become certified instructors for the program. Similar to medical
First Aid programs, the Mental Health First Aid class teaches individuals how to recognize a
mental health problem and provide help through referrals to the appropriate provider. In some
cases, that means calling 911, and in others simply listening and telling the troubled person
where to find counseling.
We are very proud to be providing this valuable service to our community. Dozens of Nassau
County residents have already been trained, and we are continuing our commitment to reach
out to first responders, teachers and others who interact regularly with the public. But Mental
Health First Aid is for anyone and if you have an interest in the training, please visit our
website www.MHFANassau.com for information and a list of upcoming classes. You can
register right online.

7. Our Services
Mental Health Services
Therapy Services
We offer individual, family and group therapy services for adults and children on an outpatient basis. We offer specialized
programs for women and parents to help them create and maintain healthy relationships with their children and partners.
Starting Point also offers a program for adults involved with the Mental Health court. Art therapy and animal-assisted therapy
enrich our therapy programs.
Children and teen services include behavior management, dealing with chronic stress, anger management, responsible thinking,
and more. Groups are available for a variety of age levels.
Psychiatric Care
Board certified psychiatrists and psychiatric nurse practitioners offer a high level of clinical expertise for individuals with emotional,
behavioral or mental disorders.
Emergency Services
Starting Point offers emergency services 24/7 by calling the main number: 904.225.8280. We also offer walk-in hours each
morning. Clients are asked to call to pre-register prior to arriving for a walk-in appointment.
Substance Abuse Services
Opioid Dependence/Suboxone Program
Addiction to painkillers can be a difficult and life-threatening problem and recovery is often challenging. Our unique clinical
program uses a medical approach that includes Suboxone, a medication that moderates the effects of withdrawal from opiates.
The program includes detox, counseling, support groups and medically-managed administration of Suboxone. This program has
been shown to be successful in helping adults recover from opiate addiction.
Drug Abuse Services for Children & Teens
Starting Point provides specialized substance abuse programs for children and teens. We work closely with the Department of
Children of Families and the courts to assist and provide services to children who need help.
In addition to treating children, we also work with local schools to help prevent substance abuse. Project Success, offered to
at-risk teens, is an award-winning substance abuse program. The program offers intervention, prevention and counseling on site
at Nassau County middle schools and high schools.
5

8. Dave’s Story - Starting Point Taught Him About Recovery
Dave S. has been a lot of places and seen a lot of things. From working on a Dude Ranch out west to a job as a hospital security
guard in Jacksonville, Dave has roamed the country experiencing many adventures along the way. But perhaps his biggest
challenge has been the mental illness that swept all of that aside and has given him an whole new outlook on life.
Now a resident of Nassau County, Dave grew up in Charlotte, N.C. and went to college at the University of Georgia where he
earned a business degree. He wasn’t really sure what he wanted to do next, so he went to visit his sister, who worked on a Dude
Ranch and ended up staying.
“I moved out west and began working on ranches, resorts and in the tourist industry because I hadn’t decided what career path to
take,” he said. “I had to learn a lot of new skills. I worked out in many small rural towns, country towns, and ended up working
as a forest ranger and firefighter in one of the towns.”
That, he said, is what led to his first experience with mental illness. After a season of fire fighting, he began having symptoms of
panic and anxiety attacks in 2000. In the rural area he lived in, there weren’t any resources and eventually he ended up going to
Jackson Hole, Wyoming, to see the only psychiatrist within 90 miles.
“There weren’t any drop in centers, therapy or many resources to deal with mental health. Just the doctor and the pharmacy. That
was all they could offer was medicine,” he said.
In the meantime, his parents had returned to their native Florida and Dave heard about a residential mental health program in
St. Augustine. His condition was only partially disabling and he was able to have a supportive living environment while working
part-time as a security guard in a hospital in Jacksonville. Later, he was able to move into an apartment and continue working.
Until his relapse.
When his symptoms returned, he began attending group therapy and learned about the “whole world of mental health,” he said.
Eventually, he had to give up his apartment while his condition stabilized. Then, he was able to get a job working in a bookstore
cafe’ in St. Augustine, where he did well for 11 years. He and a roommate rented a house, he bought a car, and was enjoying his
life. But in 2012, he had another relapse.
Dave lost his car, the house, his job and the roommate. “I was getting sicker,” he said, “but I did not know what warning signs
to look for.” He was admitted to the hospital where his medications were adjusted and he began learning why it was important
to take them correctly. He moved to an Assisted Living Facility and began attending group therapy and activities at Starting
Point three days a week. “It’s been a real blessing for me,” he said, “not because of what I have, but because of the education I
am getting.”
6

9. Today, he regularly participates in the activities at Starting Point’s drop-in center called Our Place. He volunteers in the kitchen
because he says “ after years of working in the cafe’, I know how to make coffee.”
“The last relapse was a very severe one,” Dave said, “and subtle, because I was so high functioning. But I was still having hallucinations
and delusions. But I didn’t know the signs that meant I should go to the doctor right away. At Starting Point, they have taught me
about recovery and relapse, and how important it is to see the warning signs.”
“Other places just stabilize you or help you maintain your level, but here they encourage you that you can have mental illness and
still work, balance a checkbook, whatever.”
Because his supportive living environment manages his medication and doctors’ visits, he has less stress - and that makes him
happier. Support from his family has been critical, he says, and has allowed him to survive financially without working.
“In groups, we are talking about a new normal,” he said. “For me, success may be just not having a panic attack one day - or maybe
all you can accomplish in a day is your laundry. It is a new definition of normal.”
In early September, Dave attended training to become a peer support specialist. In this role, he provides support to others who are
coping with mental illness. He volunteers at Dayspring Village, where he lives today, by offering computer classes and heading up the
annual holiday collection of gifts for residents. He also is a volunteer member of the local board of NAMI - the National Association
for Mental Illness.
Dave credited Jodie Bailey at the drop-in center for being a mentor and teaching him about his illness. He also recognized Traci
Fuglestad at NAMI for her encouragement and helping him with transportation to board meetings, shopping and other activities.
“They really have helped me in my recovery,” he said. “It’s been a blessing.”
7

10. Mental Health First Aid
In April, Starting Point Behavioral Healthcare launched the first Mental Health First Aid
program in Nassau County. The program trains local residents to improve mental health
literacy by helping them identify, understand and respond to signs of mental illness.
The National Council for Behavioral Health certified two Starting Point staff members as
instructors. Carrie Anderson Mays and Katrina Robinson Wheeler were trained in early 2014
and conducted the first training in March for Starting Point’s Board of Directors.
In May, the two trainers completed additional specialized training for law enforcement,
corrections and public safety officers. The Law Enforcement module includes specific strategies
for those in the law enforcement arena when they encounter individuals with mental illness or
substance abuse problems.
For a number of reasons, individuals experiencing mental illness and substance use disorders
often have more contact with the criminal justice system than the general population does.
Thus, the better prepared officers and staff are to respond effectively and appropriately, the more likely the interaction will be a
positive one.
Mental Health First Aid is and important educational effort that goes a lot further
than emergency intervention. It really helps people understand the shroud of fear
and misjudgment facing individuals and families who experience mental illnesses and
addiction. The program helps to overcome the associated stigma and move people
toward recovery.
Like First Aid or CPR training, the Mental Health
First Aid program teaches individuals skills they can
use to help someone in a crisis and know how to
direct them to professional intervention or care.
Mental Health First Aid is an eight-hour training certification course that teaches
participants a five-step action plan to assess a situation, select and implement
interventions and secure appropriate care for the individual. The certification program introduces participants to risk factors and
warning signs of mental health problems, builds understanding of their impact and overviews common treatments.
8

11. Thorough evaluations in randomized controlled trials and a quantitative study have
proved the CPR-like program effective in improving trainees’ knowledge of mental
disorders, reducing stigma and increasing the amount of help provided to others.
Mental Health First Aid originated in 2001 in Australia.To date, it has been replicated
in 20 other countries worldwide, including Hong Kong, Scotland, England, Canada,
Finland, and Singapore.
The National Council for Behavioral Health brought Mental Health First Aid to
the United States in 2008. The program has been introduced in nearly 20 states and
more than 40 communities nationwide.
9
“I never thought I could
be the one to ask if he was
thinking about suicide.”

12. 10
Annual Golf Tournament
Each November, Starting Point Behavioral Healthcare raises funds to support our programs for children with a Golf Tournament
at Amelia National Golf and Country Club. We are grateful for the support of our many community businesses and organizations
that donate funds and prizes in support of this event. The tournament draws more than 75 players each year who compete for a
$25,000 hole-in-one prize, along with other awards. The event is capped off with a dinner and Silent Auction.
The day is filled with good times and great people, all having fun in support of Starting Point’s programs for children and
adolescents. This year’s Golf Tournament wasw held on Monday, November 3, 2014.
Women’s Giving Alliance Grant Program Funds Programs for Women in
Nassau County
Starting Point received a $110,000 grant from the Women’s Giving Alliance for a program that brings together three Nassau
County agencies to provide care to women and girls in the community. NOW-Today is a collaboration between Starting Point,
Barnabas (crisis and healthcare services) and Micah’s Place (shelter and support for domestic violence victims).
The two-year grant allows 170 women and girls who seek crisis assistance to receive ongoing behavioral health
prevention and intervention services. NOW-Today will also address the need, identified by Micah’s Place, for
parenting education by providing ongoing parenting classes for 60 women.
The program uses evidence-based behavioral health prevention and intervention services for girls and women experiencing a
crisis. The program empowers them to maintain a healthier lifestyle, take an active role in their own care, and improve health and
wellness for themselves and their families. The NOW-Today program includes individual counseling sessions and treatment for
substance abuse, parenting skills, communications skills and more.
Because of the grant, the three agencies now can collaborate to offer these important services to women who
come in to Micah’s Place or Barnabas and are experiencing mental health issues. Early results of the program
show measurable improvement for dozens of women who have attended parenting classes, individual or group
counseling sessions, and/or received crisis intervention services.
Among the success stories so far is Emma, who came to therapy with a primary concern regarding her relationship with her son.
Through therapy, she was able to work through their tumultuous relationship and bring peace to their lives. Additionally, through
Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, Emma was able to work through past traumatic events that she had locked up
because “it was too painful.” After completing treatment, Emma is vibrant with joy and a love of life again.
The Women’s Giving Alliance is part of The Community Foundation for Northeast Florida, a Jacksonville-based
organization that provides funding for charitable programs in the five-county Northeast Florida region.

13. Financials
11
REVENUES
DCF
FEES
OTHER
1,379,811
1,536,601
636,893
EXPENSES
SALARY EXPENSES
OPERATING
OCCUPANCY
493,284
2,561,013
568,761
40%
35%
30%
0%
5%
10%
15%
20%
25%
19%
8%
23%
35%
2%
6%
4%
0-12 13-17 18-22 23-35 36-65 65+
PATIENTS SERVED BY AGE
13%
PATIENTS BY GENDER
55%
45%
MALE
FEMALE
40%
35%
30%
0%
5%
10%
15%
20%
25%
17%
29%
17%
26%
11%
6%
32011
PATIENTS SERVED BY ZIP CODE
32034 32046 32097 Other
Number of unduplicated
clients served – 2444
Number of Non-Clients Served - 525

14. 12

15. Donors and Community Partners
2013 Golf Tournament Sponsors
ACT Solution, Inc
Baptist Medical Center Nassau
Florida Insurance Trust/LassiterWare
Morgan Stanley Wealth Management
Askesis Development Group
Dominion Diagnostics
Hole Sponsors
Ashwell Architect
Bouchard Insurance
Corbins Automotive
Harbeson, Fletcher & Bateh, LLP
Lakeview Health Systems
Principles Consulting Group
Wells Fargo Advisors
Tom McKenna
Davis, Martin, Bernard PA
Beal Consulting Group
First Coast Community Bank
Deppe Communications
Rick & Pat Campana
Silent Auction Donors
ABC Liquors
Amelia Community Theater
Amelia Liquors
Amelia National Golf Club
Amelia River Cruises
Amelia River Golf Club
Anytime Fitness
Bar Zin
Bright Mornings
Cafe’ Karibo
Caio Restaurant
Ceramics on the Fox
Cherie Billings
Dixon Golf
Dome Healing Center
Fantastic Fudge
Horizon’s Restaurant
Juniors Seafood
Magnas Salon
Maharaj Tennis Lessons
Marina Restaurant
North Hampton Golf Club
NY Nails
OMNI Golf Courses
Parkway Grille
Ponte Vedra Plastic Surgery
Red Otter
Salty Pelican
Serenity Hair Salon
Starbucks
The Crab Trap
The Melting Pot
Annette Calfee/Wells Fargo
Other Donors
Jeanne Dolan
Joan & Alan Donaldson
Barbara Oden
Starting Point Supporters
Amelia Island Art Association
Chardonnay Foundation
Paul Barnes
Valerie Sideris
Ed Stetzer
Jim Tippins

16. 24/7 Emergency
(904) 225-8280
Pre-registration hours are from 1-4 Monday - Friday
463142 State Road 200
Yulee, Florida 32097
371015 Eastwood Road, Hilliard, FL 32046
(904) 845-4033
2528 Sadler Road, Fernandina Beach, FL 32034
(904) 491-2009
Starting Point Behavioral Healthcare is an equal opportunity and drug-free workplace and prohibits discrimination in all of its
programs and activities on the basis of race, color, sex, age, religion, national origin, marital status, disability, veterans status, or
other legally protected status. Starting Point Behavioral Healthcare employes only U.S. citizens and lawfully authorized aliens
who can provide evidence of their identity and employment eligibility as required by federal law.
If you are a person with a disability who needs any accommodation, you should contact the office of our ADA Coordinator,
463142 SR 200, Yulee, FL 32097; VOICE (904) 225-8280, ext. 418; FAX (904) 225-9125 or E-mail adacoordinator@spbh.org.
STARTING P INTBehavioral Healthcare
STARTING P INTBehavioral Healthcare | Wellness Center
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Healing Begins Here
Healing Begins Here
Healing Begins Here