Daniel Dye Racing Announces Partnership with SMA and Who is Jay? Campaign

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Daniel Dye Racing is excited to announce their new partnership with SMA Healthcare (SMA) and the SMA Healthcare Foundation’s (SMAF) Who is Jay? campaign to bring education and awareness of behavioral health services and suicide prevention efforts in the local community.

SMA and the Who is Jay? campaign will be featured on the #43 Chevrolet Silverado RST for GMS Racing in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series.  This is part of Daniel’s philanthropic initiative, “Race to Stop Suicide,” connecting at-risk youth with mental health resources in his community and to spreading his message that suicide is not inevitable. 

Daniel and his family were particularly drawn to SMA for its programming for youth like RAP (Residential Adolescent Program), BEACH House and the Who is Jay? mental health awareness campaign managed by the SMA Healthcare Foundation. 

“We’re proud to have SMA Healthcare on board to offer additional experience and knowledge related to mental health and addiction.” Said Daniel Dye, Driver of the #43 GMS Racing Chevrolet.  “It’s important to have professionals involved in our ‘Race to Stop Suicide’, which is a cause that is really important to my family and I, as well as for our community. We’re also excited to team up with the Who is Jay? mental health campaign and look forward to working with them to further our suicide prevention efforts.”

SMA is the leading behavioral healthcare provider for adults and adolescents in Volusia County and five of its surrounding counites (Flagler, Putnam, St. Johns, Marion and Citrus).  SMA’s local number, 800-539-4228, is a central point for individuals to get connected to the care that they need.  SMA is also a partner for the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline, answering calls and promoting the use of 988, an easy-to-remember number that connects individuals no matter where they are in the country. RAP is a substance abuse program for teens between the ages of 13-17 and BEACH House offers a short-term respite for youth 10-17 who are truant, ungovernable, or runaway and/or homeless.

“To many in our communities, talking about your mental health is not openly accepted.” said Ivan Cosimi, CEO of SMA Healthcare “This partnership is a great opportunity to remind those who are coping with mental illness, or addiction, that there are resources available and that it is okay to talk openly about needing help.  Getting the word out is one way to connect services with those in need.” 

The Who is Jay? campaign started in 2015 as a way to provide hope and resources to people in need and is funded by the Jay’s Hope Fund, a donor advised fund set up by the Ashby family after the loss of their son to suicide.  The WhoisJay.org website offers a message of hope along with hotline numbers and other resources.  The campaign hosts an annual mental health conference at the Ocean Center for both professionals and community members at large, with the next event coming up on May 10. 

SMA Healthcare Foundation to Feature Jeff Yalden and This Is My Brave – The Show at 7th Annual Who is Jay? Mental Health Symposium

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The SMA Healthcare Foundation (the Foundation) is pleased to announce it will feature suicide prevention keynoter Jeff Yalden and This Is My Brave – The Show at the 7th Annual Who is Jay? Mental Health Symposium, coming up on Tuesday, May 3, 2022 from 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. at the Ocean Center in Daytona Beach. 

Jeff Yalden is an author, Veteran, and motivational mental health speaker whose speaking career has taken him to all 50 states, 49 countries, and every providence in Canada over the past three decades.  He has served as a consultant and educator for school communities across the country in the aftermath of student suicide deaths.  He has educated and consulted with mental health professional leaders, top rank military personnel and over 5 million people.  Jeff is a TEDx speaker and the author of four best-selling books, including Teen Suicide: The “Why” Behind America’s Suicide Epidemic.  From 2006-2012, Jeff was the Celebrity Teen and Family Life Coach for MTV’s hit reality television show, MADE, in which 75 million people watched over 7 years.

This Is My Brave – The Show, brings together a cast of people who believe in the power of storytelling to break down the stigma surrounding mental illness.  It is a live presentation of touching essays, original music and poetry performed by individuals living with, or, who love someone with a mental illness.  There will be a special guest appearance by former This Is My Brave cast member Johnny Crowder, the CEO and Founder of COPE Notes. 

“We are once again excited to bring some extraordinary speakers and talent to this year’s symposium,” said Jennifer Secor, Executive Director, SMA Healthcare Foundation.  “The intention of the symposium is to bring mental health awareness and education to our community and we believe the topics that were chosen are current and relevant to what individuals and professionals are faced with on a daily basis.”

Presentations throughout the day will include the following:

  • Wellness, Well played: Music for Mental Health and Well-being – presented by Jennifer Buchanan, MBA, MTA
  • The Team Approach to Successful Treatment of Mental Illness and Co-occurring Disorders: Combining Medications with Therapy, Primary Care and Case Management for Individualized Treatment – presented by Dr. Yusef Canaan and a panel of behavioral health professionals from SMA Healthcare
  • Stopping Self-Sabotage – presented by Anthony Poponi
  • Treatment Resistant Depression: Beyond Medications and Therapy – presented by Dr. Geoffrey Grammer

The cost to attend is $50 if registered and paid on or before April 8th ($60 after).  Students are $25, and NAMI members can attend for free.  The registration fee includes the full day of speakers and presentations, parking at the Ocean Center, lunch and refreshments.  Health professionals can also earn up to 4 CEUs.  To register or for more information on speakers and presentations, please visit https://www.whoisjay.org.

Funding for the event is provided in part by the Jay’s Hope Fund (managed by the SMA Healthcare Foundation), registration fees and sponsorships.  Current sponsors include C. James Montgomery Trust, AdventHealth, Brown & Brown Insurance, Nature’s Garden-Orange City, Simpkins Family Foundation, Emergency Medicine Professionals, Volusia Recovery Alliance, Synergy Billing, Hilton Daytona Beach Oceanfront Resort, COPE Notes, JB Music Therapy, Flagler Cares/One Voice for Volusia, Florida Power & Light, La Amistad Behavioral Health, Realty Pro Title and Synergy Billing. 

Limited vendor space is available for organizations or companies that provide resources to the community. 

If you are interested in sponsoring the event or becoming a vendor, please contact Cyndi Hines, Public Relations & Events Specialist at SMA Healthcare Foundation 386-254-1136 or chines@smahealthcare.org.  

SMA Healthcare Foundation to feature Kevin Hines and Pete Earley as keynoters at 6th annual Who Is Jay? Mental Health Symposium

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The SMA Healthcare Foundation (the Foundation) is pleased to announce it will feature keynoters Kevin Hines and Pete Earley at its 6th Annual Who is Jay? Mental Health Symposium, coming up on Wednesday, May 19, 2021 from 8:00 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. at the Ocean Center. 

Kevin Hines is suicide attempt survivor and international suicide prevention speaker who gained nationwide fame for surviving an attempt at taking his life by jumping from the Golden Gate Bridge in California. He’s the author of Cracked, Not Broken: Surviving and Striving After a Suicide Attempt and the filmmaker behind Suicide: The Ripple Effect, a feature length documentary. 

Pete Earley is the bestselling author of 21 books, including four New York Times best sellers. He is the author of the 2009 Pulitzer Prize finalist Crazy: A Father’s Search Through America’s Mental Health Madness.

“We are very proud to be able to bring such high caliber speakers from around the US and the state of Florida to our community, especially as we’re able to offer a live event for the first time in over a year” said Jennifer Secor, Executive Director, SMA Healthcare Foundation.  “The symposium was designed to bring mental health awareness and education to our community, and we believe the topics chosen are current and relevant to what individuals in our communities face today.” 

Presentations throughout the day will include the following:

  • Emerging Mood Disorders and Increased Suicide Rates During COVID – presented by SMA’s Chief Medical Officer, Dr. Daniel Weinberg
  • Embracing LOVE – Your Took Kit for Emotional Management and New Found Clarity – presented by Scott Goyette, MBA
  • Igniting Passion While Preventing Burnout – presented by Tina Levene, BA
  • Planning for the Future: Legal Protections and Estate Planning for Individuals with Severe Mental Illness – presented by Mike Jorgensen, JD, LLM

The cost to attend is $50 if registered and paid on or before April 16 ($60 after).  Students are $25, and NAMI members can attend for free.  The registration fee includes the full day of speakers and presentations, parking at the Ocean Center, lunch and refreshments.  Health professionals can also earn CEU’s.  To register, please visit https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/Whoisjay2021. 

For the safety of attendees, COVID-19 precautions and safety protocols will be in place, including the requirement for masks, social distancing, sanitization stations throughout the venue, rooms being sanitized between activities and special coordination with food service for individually wrapped or packaged meals and snacks. 

More details about the event, speakers and presentations can be found at  https://www.whoisjay.org/2021-mental-health-symposium/.

Funding for the event is provided in part by the Jay’s Hope Fund, which is managed by the SMA Healthcare Foundation, registration fees and through sponsorships.  Current sponsors include C. James Montgomery Trust, Brown & Brown Insurance, Emergency Physicians for Florida Hospital Volusia/Flagler, Simpkins Family Foundation, FPL, Nature’s Garden Orange City, and Senior Counsel Attorneys at Law. 

Limited vendor space is available for organizations or companies that provide resources to the community. 

If you are interested in sponsoring the event or becoming a vendor, please contact Cyndi Hines, Public Relations & Events Specialist at SMA Healthcare Foundation 386-254-1136 or chines@smahealthcare.org.  

If you are interested in supporting SMA Healthcare and the SMA Healthcare Foundation, please contact Jennifer Secor, CFRE, Executive Director, at 386-254-1139 or jsecor@smahealthcare.org. 

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The Who is Jay? mental health awareness campaign started in May 2015 with a few billboards and t-shirts directing individuals to a website with mental health resources.  In 2016 there was the addition of a half day mental health symposium, which was held in St. Augustine.  In 2017 the symposium was moved to the Ocean Center and expanded to include a full day symposium with national speakers, and has continued to grow and expand. 

SMA Healthcare Foundation announces free mental health webinar series

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The SMA Healthcare Foundation (the Foundation) is excited to announce a series of free mental health webinar series, presented by the Foundation and the Jay’s Hope Fund. 

Earlier this year the Foundation’s Annual Who is Jay? Mental Health Symposium was canceled due to COVID-19 and concerns for the safety of attendees, speakers, volunteers and staff.  The Foundation Board’s Jay’s Hope Committee made the decision at that time to provide a series of webinars to the community, and wanted to provide them at no charge because of financial hardships being experienced as a result of the pandemic. 

“The SMA Healthcare Foundation and the Jay’s Hope Fund receive great support from businesses and individuals in our area” said Jennifer Secor, Executive Director, “and we were pleased that all sponsors who had committed to the symposium agreed to transfer their support to the webinars, making the goal of providing these free education and awareness opportunities a reality.” 

The series will consist of three webinars, taking place from 10:30 – 11:30 a.m. (EDT) Fridays during October.  The schedule and topics are as follows:

October 9th | Trauma-Informed Communication: How to Talk to Youth After Tragedy

presented by Nekeshia Hammond, Psy.D. | 1.0 CEU

Many children and teens experience personal or vicarious trauma, yet well-meaning individuals in their lives may not know how to respond. It is critical to understand that our youth perceive and process trauma differently than adults. In this interactive session, participants will learn about Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs), youth brain development related to trauma, talking with youth after a violent or tragic event, and interventions to build resiliency in children and teens.

Register at: https://tinyurl.com/SMAWebinars-Hammond

October 16th | Trauma & PTSD in First Responders, Military Personnel and Veterans

presented by Amie Newins, Ph.D. | 1.0 CEU

First responders and military personnel are exposed to a wide range of potentially traumatic events, and COVID-19, along with recent turmoil in our communities, are no exception. During this presentation, participants will learn about several evidence-based treatments available for trauma-related disorders and how to help individuals experiencing increased stress during these challenging times.

Register at: https://tinyurl.com/SMAWebinars-Newins

October 23rd | Finding Your Virtual Comfort Zone in the Era of Telehealth Treatment

presented by Kelly Kraus, MA, LMHC, SMA Healthcare | 1.0 CEU

One of the challenges experienced during COVID-19 has been the switch to telehealth in many aspects of medical care, especially among behavioral health providers and mental health clients. In this webinar, participants will learn strategies for finding their virtual comfort zone, whether as a provider transitioning to telehealth and assisting clients with this new treatment style, or as a client wanting to get the most out of their telehealth experience.

Register at: https://tinyurl.com/SMAWebinars-Kraus

Additional information on each presenter is available on their registration links. 

“Having seen the impact of COVID-19 on mental health, as well as the financial impact, we are very excited to be a part of providing these webinars to our communities” shared Hank and Susan Ashby, co-founders of the Jay’s Hope Fund.  “Providing education and awareness about mental illness has been a great passion for us, and we look forward to continuing to do so and with sharing hope to individuals and their families living with mental illness.”

The Jay’s Hope Fund is supported through individual donations and is providing funding for the webinar series, along with the following sponsors:  AdventHealth, Brown & Brown Insurance, EM Pros, FPL, and the Simpkins Family Foundation. 

For more information about the Jay’s Hope Fund or the Who is Jay? mental health campaign, please visit www.whoisjay.org. 

If you are interested in supporting SMA Healthcare and the SMA Healthcare Foundation, please contact Jennifer Secor, CFRE, Executive Director, at 386-254-1139 or jsecor@smahealthcare.org.