Benchmark Crises Response Services to Address Suicide Prevention Coalition

January 22, 2014 Leaders of the Georgia Crisis Response System, managed by Benchmark Human Services, will address the Suicide Prevention Coalition 6 pm, Thursday, January 23, at the Cuthbert First United Methodist Church fellowship hall, 187 Lumpkin Street, Cuthbert. During the session, leaders will discuss the crisis response services and questions about the program. Representatives at the meeting from Benchmark will be: • Mary Jessup: Director of Region 6 – South, Crisis Response Services for individuals with intellectual disabilities who are experiencing a behavioral crisis, and interim Director of the region’s Crisis Response Services for individuals with mental illness who are experiencing a behavioral health crisis. Jessup holds a master’s in psychology and business administration from Auburn University and is a Board Certified Behavior Analyst. • Alice McKee: Clinical Regional Supervision for Region 6, Georgia Crisis Response Services for individuals with behavioral health crisis. McKee holds a master’s degree in social work from California State University, Sacramento, and is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker. Benchmark Human Services, through its contract with the Georgia Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Disabilities, provides crisis response services for individuals with intellectual disabilities in a behavioral crisis for Regions 4 and 5 and segments of Regions 1 and 2. In Mental Health Crisis, Benchmark serves all of regions 1, 2, 4 and 6, providing services for people with mental illness, serious emotional disorders, substance-related disorders, and co-occurring substance-related and serious emotional disorders. Benchmark is a division of AWS/Benchmark Human Services. Founded in 1960, AWS/Benchmark’s 3,200 employees serve 8,500 individuals with disabilities and/or mental illness in 10 states. Its mission is to help children and adults with disabilities live as independently as possible, be included in the community and function at their maximum potential. For more information about our services please visit awsusa.com. For more information, please contact Barbara Wachtman, Director of Communications, at 260.207.5680, [email protected] or visit benchmark-hs.com.