St. Lucie County Sheriff Supports New Horizons Children’s Center

Release Date: April, 2009

St. Lucie County Sheriff Ken J. Mascara presented a donation of $20,000 from the St. Lucie County Law Enforcement Trust Fund for the New Horizons Center for Children currently underway on Midway Road in Fort Pierce.  This donation was made on behalf of the men and women of the St. Lucie County Sheriff’s Office.

According to Sheriff Mascara, “We, at the Sheriff’s Office, are acutely aware of the need for beds for juveniles who are in crisis either through mental illness or substance abuse problems.  The Children’s Crisis Unit will make it much more convenient for law enforcement professionals on the Treasure Coast to quickly get children in need of these services to a facility capable of handling their care.”

Currently, the four county area served by New Horizons has only three beds available for our needy children in crisis and they are in Vero Beach.  This number is sadly inadequate, as last year alone, 792 kids from the Treasure Coast and Okeechobee were admitted to a crisis unit.  The new 20-bed Children’s Crisis Unit is underway and should be completed within 12-14 months.

For additional information about New Horizons or the “4 Our Kids” capital campaign call Cathleen Owen at 772-672-8333 or visit our web site at www.nhtcinc.org.

New Horizons of Okeechobee and the Treasure Coast is a non-profit organization that provides mental health care and substance abuse treatment for children and adults living in Indian River, Martin, Okeechobee and St. Lucie Counties.