Are men in a friendship recession? According to polls conducted by the Survey Center on American Life, only 1 in 5 men reported receiving social support from guy friends in the week prior, versus 2 in 5 women. More than half of all men report feeling unsatisfied with the number of friends they have and 20 percent of single men don’t have any close friends. Sweetser’s Medical Director Dr. Marc Kaplan discusses on this Mental Health Moment segment.
TV Segment: Filling Vacancies in Behavioral Health
Thousands of Mainers are on waiting lists to access various mental health services. One potential solution to that problem is encouraging more individuals to fill open positions with behavioral health providers. Sweetser’s Human Resources Director Carol Mundigler talks about the open positions in the field.
Sweetser’s Saco School & School-Based Therapy in the News
WMTW TV SEGMENT
In our latest Mental Health Moment TV segment on WMTW Channel 8, our Senior Director of Public Relations and Advancement, Justin Chenette, breaks down what a special purpose school is and the impact our Saco K-12 school has on the students we serve.
MAINE PUBLIC RADIO STORY
Powerful story featuring a Sweetser family about the positive impact our school-based therapy services have in over 100 schools across our state and why it’s so important for this program to continue.
TV Segment: Sweetser Parent Promotes School-Based Therapy
Rebekah Strasburger, a parent from Brunswick, whose child is accessing support from a Sweetser school-based clinician, talks about the positive impact of the program and the need for services to continue.
Sweetser Welcomes Two New Additions to its Leadership Team
Brandon Somes and Douglas Weaver
Sweetser recently welcomed Brandon Somes and Douglas Weaver to its leadership team.
Brandon Somes joined Sweetser in March 2024 as the Director of Quality. He is responsible for working with teams at all levels of Sweetser programs and departments to improve key client outcomes, identify opportunities for improvement, and build systems and processes that ensure safe delivery and thorough documentation of care/services.
Brandon began his career in youth residential behavioral health, and has extensive experience in direct care and day school treatment programs, as well as staff training and development. He has also worked in an improvement role focused on reducing use of restraint and managing organization accreditation-related activities. Since moving to Maine in 2020, Brandon has been responsible for oversight and development of improvement programs at SMHC and InterMed.
He is driven by a desire to help care teams and direct care staff improve client outcomes, while making their work easier and safer. Originally from rural Western Mass, he and his wife moved to Maine to be closer to the ocean and Portland. He has two rescue dogs and loves to hike, swim, run, bike and do pretty much anything outside.
Douglas Weaver is the Clinical Director of Adult Residential. He joined Sweetser in 2023 as the Clinical Supervisor for the Behavioral Health Home program in Brunswick. Douglas has extensive experience working with clients suffering from severe and persistent mental illness, and he has worked in the mental health field since 2010.
Douglas’ background includes positions in residential treatment, daily living supports, Assertive Community Treatment, Home and Community-Based Treatment, inpatient psychiatric and detox in a hospital setting, and outpatient counseling. He earned his MSW from the University of New England in 2018, and is an LCSW and a CCS (Certified Clinical Supervisor). Douglas is an eight-year veteran of the United States Army and served in Iraq.
Column: The Healing Power of Pets
In our monthly Mental Health Matters column in Saco Bay News, we take a look at the positive impact pets have on our lives.
Preview:
‘Pet owners already know about the joys that come with sharing their lives with their furry companions, however, did you know pets can also improve our mental health? Caring for a pet can help us reduce anxiety and stress, provide companionship, increase exercise, and help you meet new people.’
Careers & Conversations – Lewiston Auburn Hiring Event
Join Sweetser for ‘Careers & Conversations’ an event at the Auburn Hilton Wednesday March 27th from 4-6PM. Drop in for fun music, door prizes, drinks, and appetizers.
Sweetser staff will be available to conduct onsite interviews for various positions including Outpatient Clinician, Clinical Supervisor, School-Based Clinician, and more! Some with $10,000 sign on bonuses.
The first 50 people will receive a $25 gift card to Hannaford. Additional door prizes will be available with the Spin the Wheel game.
FRANK FM will have their live truck providing music and giveaways.
Join us Wednesday March 27th from 4-6 at the Auburn Hilton to start your compassionate career with Sweetser.
TV Segment: Bring our kids home with PRTF
For many Maine youth who struggle with a highest level of mental health and behavioral challenges, they either have to be sent out of state to secure psychiatric residential treatment facilities as far away as Arkansas and Utah or they get stuck with long stays in Emergency Rooms in hospitals because there is no place for them to receive care. Sweetser’s President & CEO Jayne Van Bramer discusses the need for such a facility in this week’s Mental Health Moment. Recently, the legislature’s HHS committee has unanimously voted to recommend moving forward to support PRTF and funding the necessary capital costs.
Sweetser’s School-Based Program in the News
MAINE PUBLIC RADIO
Sweetser’s President & CEO Jayne Van Bramer was interviewed by Maine Public Radio on the dire need for state funding to keep school-based therapy services afloat for students and their families.
PORTLAND PRESS HERALD
In the Portland Press Herald, Sweetser’s OP-ED breaks down why providers like ours are creatively subsidizing the cost of mental health services at public schools and what the solution is.
BANGOR DAILY NEWS
Check out this letter to the editor in The Bangor Daily News from former State Representative and current Sweetser Board Member Jay McCreight about the importance of supporting Rep. Rachel Talbot Ross’s LD 2002 to stabilize youth mental health therapy in schools.
Sweetser Welcomes New Leadership Team Members
Kristine Gile and Craig Wilcox
Welcome to two of the newest members of our leadership team. Get to know Kristine Gile and Craig Wilcox.
Kristine Gile, LCPC, BC-TMH, NCC has joined Sweetser as Director of Children’s Residential. With over 20 years of experience in children’s behavioral healthcare, Kristine has been a therapist, manager, and director in a variety of programs. She has most recently been working in an accredited psychiatric hospital clinic as a director of services for children and adults with Serious Emotional Disorders/Serious Mental Illness that have had multiple inpatient admissions.
Kristine is a Board Certified-TeleMental Health Counselor, Nationally Certified in TF-CBT and will soon be one of the few TF-CBT trainers in the State of Maine. She also has DBT training from Behavioral Tech, Multiple CBT trainings from the Beck Institute (CBT-A; CBT-D/SP; CBT-P; CBT-R), is trained in CPP (Child Parent Psychotherapy), MATCH-ADTC (Modular Approach to the Treatment of Children with Anxiety, Depression, Trauma, and Conduct disorders) and PCIT (Parent Child Interaction Therapy). She is trained in the Yale University Supervision Model and is trained and passionate about supporting staff in secondary traumatic stress.
Kristine has specialized training in working clients with disabilities including those who struggle with certain sensory disorders, such as deaf and hard of hearing clients and/or blind and visually impaired. She has presented at many conferences and served on committees across the country.
Kristine also has experience in change management, staff engagement, and developing and implementing a culture of safety in teams.
Craig Wilcox has joined Sweetser as Director of Facilities. In this role, he provides leadership and guidance for the proper care of all Sweetser facilities by overseeing capital projects, repairs, maintenance, and related activities.
Prior to joining Sweetser, Craig focused on owning and operating his own business, which specializes in the construction of new buildings and remodeling old properties.
Outside of work, Craig donates his spare time to causes that assist people in need and enjoys spending time outdoors with his family, be it camping, fishing, boating, skiing, four-wheeling, or snowmobiling.
Craig is OSHA certified and holds Associate Degrees in both Business and Culinary Arts from Southern Maine Community College.