Holly Vida, behavioral health program manager for Polk County, and Polk State College provost Amy Bratten, Ed.D., welcomed attendees and thanked them for participating in the day’s discussions.
Sheriff Grady Judd also welcomed participants via video and spoke about impact of mental health and substance abuse on crime and homelessness in Polk County. He said, “Events like this are a big step towards making good things happen in Polk County.”
The first keynote presentation of the day was presented by Tony Hoffman. Hoffman shared his experience in overcoming addiction and homelessness to coaching BMX racing at the Olympic level.
Superintendent of Polk County Public Schools Frederick Heid also delivered a keynote presentation. Heid spoke about the school district’s strategies for equipping staff and students with resources to support mental health and wellbeing and shared data showing the district’s progress with behavioral health initiatives.
The final keynote presentation was offered by Kati Morton, LMFT, a YouTube creator who educated participants about how to teach effective coping skills and move from awareness to action.
Breakout sessions featured Edith Shiro, Psy.D., Judith Grisel, Ph.D., Sharon Fekete and Natasha A. Pierre. facilitating conversations on various topics, including:
- Practical skills for mental and emotional stability
- Mental health in the workplace
- Neuroscience of addiction
- Growth after traumatic events
The event was hosted by Polk State College with break out sessions sponsored in part by Advent Health and Orlando Health.
This project is funded by the Florida Opioid Abatement Settlement and is administered by the Polk County Health and Human Services Division.
