Tom’s Of Maine sent their full team to our Saco campus to help beautify our spaces. The youth we serve deserve the very best therapeutic environments and this is possible because of the generosity of companies like Tom’s.

At their Goodness Day, we recognized Tom’s of Maine with a Sweetser Star Award for their corporate partnership supporting youth mental health and our mission.

Pictured here with their General Manager Cristiane Martini, our CFO John McAnuff, and our Senior Director of Public Relations Justin Chenette.

Shout out to Volunteer Manager Karen Dow and the entire facilities team for all their efforts pulling this together and accommodating the large amount of volunteers.

As students and families start planning a return to the new school year over the next few weeks, it’s important to remember that mental health resources are available not just during the stressful time of returning to school, but year-round for youth.

“You can get anything from depression and anxiety and cognitive problems to develop over time, such as impaired memory, impaired decision making and personality changes,” Sweetser Medical Director Marc Kaplan said. “Sometimes they don’t know that these symptoms are starting to occur. Therefore, having regular tracking is really, really important.”

Sweetser’s team had a blast connecting with families at the National Night Out event put on by the Saco Police Department. It was a wonderful opportunity to interact with public safety officials, city departments, and various community groups through family friendly activities. We really appreciate mental health being represented.

Clockwise from top left: Justin Chenette & Nina Marsanskis; Nina & Karen Dow; Isabel Strelneck, Karen & Nina

We’ve waited all winter to enjoy our beautiful Maine summers, but did you know there is a connection between prolonged exposure to high temperatures and a negative impact on our mental health? Sweetser’s Senior Director of Public Relations & Advancement Justin Chenette discusses on WMTW.

Sold out for Sweetser! Together we raised $8,000 for mental health at our Higher Ground – A Tribute to Stevie Wonder benefit concert! We appreciate the amazing venue Vinegar Hill Music Theatre for their partnership to make this such a success, the talented band members led by Sweetser’s own Dr. Marc Kaplan, our sponsors Saco Valley Credit Union and 99.3 The Wave, and to American Idol finalist Julia Gagnon for being our special performing guest. Who’s ready to do this again next year?

If an adult is experiencing a mental health crisis, where can they go to get immediate support? Mike Andrick, Sweetser’s Senior Director of Adult Crisis & Residential Services, appeared on our weekly TV segment to discuss our crisis residential program.

Sweetser received some wonderful coverage on Newscenter Maine about the launch of our new Child ACT (Assertive Community Treatment) program and what it means for families trying to access services in Southern Maine. Watch story below…

Below is a collection of other stories highlighting the launch of our program.

• Maine Public Radio piece – https://www.mainepublic.org/health/2024-06-27/sweetser-launches-community-based-program-for-children-with-severe-mental-illness

• Press Herald – https://www.pressherald.com/2024/07/01/sweetser-launches-maines-only-community-based-youth-mental-health-program/ & front of the Courier Newspaper

• Bangor Daily News – https://www.bangordailynews.com/2024/07/08/bdn-maine/sweetser-launches-maines-only-community-based-youth-mental-health-program-after-critical-fed-report/

Motherhood can be a rewarding journey, but it can also impact a woman’s mental health. Sweetser’s Chief Growth Officer, Joanne Grant, who also happens to be a mother herself, spoke about the subject on WMTW’s Mental Health Moment segment.

Members of Sweetser’s leadership team touring the new CSU

Sweetser has re-opened its Child Crisis Stabilization Unit in Saco after designing a truly therapeutic, trauma-informed environment for our clients. This reset allowed us to use an available building on our campus and set up the space in a way conducive to providing children with the care they require. This includes designated spaces for group therapy and using therapeutic colors throughout the unit. Staff have also received additional training to ensure we provide the most therapeutic care possible. Referrals for this program come through via the statewide crisis line.

Sweetser’s Chief Program Officer, Kristie Worster, discusses how families can access our children’s crisis stabilization units on WMTW Channel 8’s Mental Health Moment segment.

Now that summer is officially here, people might be thinking about taking that vacation or taking time to recharge, but did you know more than 765 million vacation days have gone unused by Americans? Sweetser’s Medical Director Dr. Marc Kaplan speaks to WMTW to discuss the mental health impact of taking time away from work. Watch the segment below!