June 7, 2007

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Behavioral Health directors receive state award

ST. CLOUD, Minn. – Co-directors of St. Cloud Hospital’s Behavioral Health Services Steve Vincent and Jim Forsting received the first Health Care Heroes Award for Administrative Excellence from Twin Cities Business magazine and Medica.

The award was announced in the June 2007 issue of Twin Cities Business magazine. The article stated, “Over the course of their 25-year collaboration, they have cultivated an extraordinary ability to find funding and resources for mental and chemical health treatment in the St. Cloud area.”

Vincent and Forsting were instrumental in establishing Dialectic Behavior Therapy treatment for borderline personality disorders and evidence-based practices in St. Cloud. They have lead the way to improving the financial losses of Behavioral Health Services with innovative programs such as partial hospitalization while continually enhancing the services provided to the community.

Vincent, whose responsibilities include Mental Health Services, was instrumental in recruiting four child and adolescent psychiatrists for St. Cloud Hospital, which began the services for children and adolescents in the St. Cloud area in 1997. He helped create the Child & Adolescent Specialty Care Center at CentraCare Health Plaza, where psychiatrists can collaborate with other specialty physicians and providers in a family-friendly, fun environment. He also helped bring to fruition the construction of Clara’s House, which provides mental health and chemical dependency services to children and adolescents.

He assisted in developing the Safe Schools/Healthy Students Mobile Wellness Center, which provides comprehensive mental health assessments for children and adolescents, and is an educational resource center for District 742 families and staff. After the end of the Safe Schools/Healthy Students grant, Steve helped find the resources for St. Cloud Hospital to continue the work of the Mobile Wellness Center.

Forsting, whose responsibilities include Recovery Plus Addiction and Mental Health Services of
St. Cloud Hospital, created a unique halfway house 17 years ago called Journey Home. Journey Home provides housing for pregnant women and women with their dependent children throughout the women’s substance abuse treatment. Currently, a new expanded 68-bed facility is being built. There are 60 women with children on a waiting list to get into the program.

Forsting created the first dedicated older adults addiction program with specialized outreach and support services that includes more than 100 trained volunteers to help older adults with addiction and mental health issues.

Under his leadership, Recovery Plus Addiction Services has provided 12 chemical health prevention counselors to more than 25 schools in Central Minnesota under various grants and subsidies to focus on prevention and support for school age children.

Recovery Plus has created one of the first truly integrated dual disorder partial hospitalization and residential program services. With completion of the new Journey Home facility this spring, Recovery Plus will have 215 residential beds dedicated to addiction, dual disorder services ranging from residential, halfway house and extended care services for adults and adolescents. There also are a variety of specialized outpatient services available for adolescents, adults, older adults, professionals and families.

During the past 25 years, Forsting is credited with raising more than $15 million through grants and donations to be able to offer many of these programs services that are not covered by health insurance plans.

Learn more about Behavioral Health Services

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