By Hope McCormick and Emily Proctor
Caring & Sharing of South Walton is pleased to share that we have partnered with Beach Blue Counseling, LLC, to provide four hours of case management and mental health therapy for our clients each week, at no cost to the clients. The idea for the partnership began when Emily Proctor reached out to Brian Boelk, a former social work intern at Hope Medical Clinic, for some help with one of our clients. “Brian came by for a few hours on one of our assistance days and sat for over an hour in the heat helping someone fill out paperwork for government assistance. He was so helpful that it was hard NOT to begin imagining what a partnership might look like, for both myself and our Executive Director,” Proctor said. “When we learned that he was thinking about joining a local practice with McCorry, another former intern with Hope Medical Clinic, it was a no brainer to reach out to them.”
The services, which are offered by appointment between 10 am and 2 pm every Friday, began in mid-July. Sometimes only one or two appointments are needed; others come every other week or even weekly, which is part of how we know it’s already having a positive impact. Social Workers Patrick McCorry, MSW, and Brian Boelk, MSW, see an average of four clients each week, providing needs assessments, counseling, and connection to other resources. Both are also being trained to use the Homeless and Housing Alliance’s Homeless Management Information System to help coordinate services for the homeless and those at risk for homelessness. They are also working with clients on probation to help them fulfill recovery-related requirements.
Emily Proctor, the Director of Outreach, says about the program, “Although a lot of our clients initially come to us seeking food or help with a past due utility bill or rent, many of them have needs that go well beyond financial assistance. They may be recovering from a traumatic event or loss, struggling with depression or addiction, or wanting to learn new ways to relate to family. Having trained social workers available, allows some of our most vulnerable clients to have access to resources that will hopefully help them in a deeper and more transformative way than a one-time payment on a bill. Ultimately our goal is to help all of our clients, not just survive, but thrive. Offering social work and case management is an important step in that direction. I have already seen how meeting with Brian or Patrick has helped a client feel calmer and more hopeful about the future. We have also seen concrete improvements to clients’ living situations and access to healthcare services as a result of just one or two sessions.”
Proctor said she is excited about the additional services and collaboration with Beach Blue Counseling. “We are so grateful for McCorry and Boelk’s willingness to work for us at a reduced rate so that the most vulnerable in our community can get the help they need. We look forward to offering more of this kind of assistance over the long term,” she said. “For more information or to schedule an appointment, please call (850)-267-2866 or email Emily Proctor at outreach@caringandsharingsowal.org. Caring & Sharing of South Walton’s facility is located at 112 Lynn Drive in Santa Rosa Beach (behind the Sherwin Williams, just east of the County Hwy 393 intersection on the south side of Hwy 98). For more information about Beach Blue Counseling, visit their website at https://www.beachbluecounseling.com/.
About the Authors: Hope McCormick is the Community Development VISTA for Communities of Transformation South Walton. Emily Proctor, M.Div., serves as the Director of Outreach at Caring and Sharing of South Walton.
Author: SWal Life
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