TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (Monday, January 13, 2025) – Apalachee Center honored three of the state’s champions for behavioral healthcare Monday morning. This year’s recipients were Florida House of Representatives Speaker Designate Sam Garrison, Department of Children and Families (DCF) Secretary Shevaun Harris and Gadsden County Sheriff Morris Young.
Apalachee Center is the largest comprehensive behavioral healthcare organization in the Big Bend Region, committed to helping North Floridians recover from substance use disorders, mental illness, emotional distress and behavioral challenges. With locations in Leon, Franklin, Gadsden, Jefferson, Liberty, Madison, Taylor, and Wakulla counties, Apalachee Center serves insured and uninsured Floridians living in a 5,500-square-mile area.
“The success of Apalachee Center’s mission depends on our community partners and especially on community heroes – those leaders in public life who have championed the expansion and accessibility of behavioral healthcare services,” said Jay Reeve, PhD, President and CEO of Apalachee Center and Chair of Florida’s Commission on Mental Health and Substance Use Disorder. “We are so fortunate in Florida to have the advocacy and support of Representative Garrison, Secretary Harris and Sheriff Young, each of whom has strengthened both local and statewide behavioral healthcare systems and, in doing so, has saved countless lives across this region and Florida.”
Speaker Designate Sam Garrison was honored with words from Dr. Jay Reeve and Former House Speaker James Harold Thompson, a member of Apalachee Center’s Board of Directors.
“Although Sam calls Clay County home, his work here in the Legislature and his statewide leadership and championship for behavioral health qualify him as a behavioral health community hero in every community in Florida,” Dr. Reeve said. “It’s my great honor to present Apalachee Center’s 2024 Community Hero Award to Speaker Designate Representative Sam Garrison.”
DCF Secretary Harris was honored for her commitment to improving Florida’s approach to supporting vulnerable children and families.
“Secretary Harris has provided stellar leadership and support for the growth of many Apalachee Center initiatives,” Dr. Reeve said. “She has always been fair, reasonable, very accessible and most of all, passionately committed to helping Florida’s most vulnerable citizens – including those living with mental illness and substance use disorders.”
Gadsden County Sheriff Young was honored for his dedication to the long-time partnership between the Gadsden County Sheriff’s Office and Apalachee Center.
“In the world of behavioral healthcare, Sheriff Young has been a community and statewide leader,” Dr. Reeve said. “His close partnership with Apalachee Center dates to 2015. Since that time, the two entities have embarked on numerous successful partnerships. Sheriff Morris has been a strong voice for behavioral health excellence in Gadsden County as well as a partner, an ally, a supporter and someone who is always accessible and ready to engage.”
Previous award recipients include Senator Bill Montford, Senior Advisor for White House Public Engagement and Intergovernmental Affairs and Former Florida State Representative Alan Williams, Former Florida House Representative and Former Department of Business and Professional Regulation (DBPR) Secretary Halsey Beshears, Florida House Representatives Jason Shoaf and Alison Tant, Florida Senator Corey Simon and Leon County Sheriff Walt McNeil.
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About Apalachee Center
For over half a century, Apalachee Center, a private, not-for-profit organization, has been dedicated to helping individuals and families in eight counties of North Florida succeed in recovering from emotional, psychiatric, and substance abuse crises. For more information, visit ApalacheeCenter.org.