Hurston talks about local response to mental health crisis
Published on Thursday, May 9, 2024 at 9:00 am
VALLEY — Since 1949, May has been recognized as Mental Health Awareness Month in the United States. For 75 years, May has focused on mental health through the media, civic clubs, local events and film screenings.
This month, the Kiwanis Club of the Valley is highlighting our continued efforts to support those struggling with mental health and what we can do to make everyone more aware of this long-standing social issue. At the club’s midday meeting on Wednesday, speakers will discuss what is being done locally to help those in need.
The first speaker in the series was Jonathan Hurston, executive director of the Chambers County Family Circle Center. Since its founding in November 1996, Circle of Care uses proven research to provide education, resources and support to help families in Chambers County and the Greater Valley Area become stronger, healthier and happier. We have been supporting the.
Mr Hurston told club members that one of the first things he did when he became director in 2017 was to meet with people across the county and ask them what needs they thought needed to be addressed. “Mental health was one of his most frequently occurring issues,” he said. “This matter was brought to us frequently by law enforcement officers.”
Hurston said many police officers told him about a frequent problem that caused people to end up in jail over and over again, namely that they commit petty crimes to treat themselves with illegal drugs. That’s what he said.
At one point in his career, Hurston took some time off to return to college to earn a master’s degree in psychology from Auburn University. He made several valuable contacts to secure college-level counselors who could work with local people struggling with mental health and other issues.
One of Circle’s biggest success stories in recent years has been a program known as Searchlight Counseling. It started in the Circle building at the medical park, but quickly outgrew the available space. “Searchlight has grown from two therapists to his five,” he said. “We acquired Dr. Downs’ previous practice and provided him with ample space.”
Searchlight Counseling helps both individuals and couples plan for emotional freedom, wholeness, and happiness. A counselor will meet each person’s individual life situation and work together to create a customized treatment plan and prioritize goals and needs.
A ribbon-cutting ceremony will soon be held at Searchlight’s new building.
A highly acclaimed circle program across the state is Renew Hope, which aims to raise awareness of the issue of human trafficking. We are dedicated to educating, informing, and training community members and frontline workers on issues related to human trafficking. Adrian Carpenter leads this program and has spoken about it in every region of the state.
“I don’t see Adrian as much as I used to because he’s been walking around the state talking about Renew Hope,” Hurston said.
Another highly regarded program at Circle of Care is the statewide award-winning Innovation Center. The Innovation Center is located within Circle of Care’s main building and provides workspaces that provide entrepreneurial-minded individuals with the opportunity to grow new businesses.
The Circle has a wealth of resources to help people live better lives. These include GED classes and Work Key Certification, Young Adult Employment Services (YES! Project), Relationship Education and Strengthening, and a Business Resource Center.
Mr. Hurston thanked Sheriff Jeff Nelson for partnering with the circle on the job training program. “We receive job training at the Chambers County Jail,” he said. “We want people to have jobs lined up when they are released. We want them to do something productive and break the cycle of going back to prison. ”
A Kiwanis Club member asked Mr. Hurston whether during his time with the Kiwanis Club he had seen the club grow in its community service efforts. “When I became director, I think we had 10 people on staff,” he said. “Currently, we have 22 full-time and 26 part-time employees. Since then, our budget has nearly doubled. I think it’s because we have really talented people who are doing a great job for us.”
Although Circle of Care is a 501(c)3 organization, we are different from most nonprofit organizations. Most of them have a single focus, such as delivering food to the poor. That’s important enough, but Circle serves a variety of needs, including counseling people for mental health-related issues, job training, and starting new businesses.
A big problem for some people is transportation. “If you tell someone there’s a great counselor they can go to and talk to in Auburn, but you don’t have a reliable way to get there, you might as well tell them you’re in Austin, Texas,” he says. “We are doing everything we can to provide these services here in Chambers County.”
There is a wealth of information about circles and their activities on their web pages. It can be accessed at thecirclecares.com. For Searchlight Counseling, please contact us at (334) 470-5398.
