The Laker/Lutz News

Serving Pasco since 1981/Serving Lutz since 1964

Health

Health alert

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The Florida Department of Health in Pasco County (DOH-Pasco) has issued an alert to the public about the red tide bloom near Anclote River Park Beach.

Individuals may have mild and short-lived respiratory symptoms, such as eye, nose and throat irritation similar to cold symptoms. Some people with breathing problems may experience more severe symptoms.

DOH-Pasco recommends the following:

  • Do not swim around dead fish at this location.
  • Be careful and consider staying away from this location as red tide can affect breathing.
  • Do not harvest or eat molluscan shellfish and distressed or dead fish from this location. If fish are healthy, rinse fillets with tap or bottled water and throw out the guts.
  • Keep pets and livestock away from water, sea foam and dead sea life.
  • Residents living in beach areas are advised to close windows and run the air conditioner.
  • If outdoors, residents may choose to wear paper filter masks, especially in windy conditions.

The Florida Poison Control Centers has a toll-free 24/7 hotline for reporting of illnesses, including health effects from exposure to red tide. Call 888-232-8635.

A comforting donation

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(Courtesy of Patricia Serio)

Members of the GFWC Lutz-Land O’ Lakes Woman’s Club, under the direction of chair Linda Mitchell, have been busily knitting baby caps and blankets for the March of Dimes program, in support of the 2021 Baby Blanket Challenge for military new moms and their newborns. The women already have sent their first shipment and will continue knitting hundreds more items between now and the December program deadline. Barbara Booth, left, and Linda Mitchell showcase some of the handknitted baby items. For information about the woman’s club, visit LutzLandOLakesWomansClub.org, or visit its Facebook page.

Seminar sheds light on stigma

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The old adage, “sticks and stones may break my bones but words will never hurt me,” may not be exactly true — at least for those who are working to overcome alcohol and substance addiction, mental illness and cultural competency issues.

In other words, hurtful words do matter.

That was the consensus of a group of panelists affiliated with the Pasco County Alliance for Substance Addiction Prevention (Pasco ASAP), a nonprofit organization working to mobilize the community to prevent substance use by implementing evidence-based strategies that produce environmental-level change.

The panelists spoke at a June 1 webinar, titled “Change The Language ASAP.”

The webinar sought to bring awareness to the role stigma plays in addiction, and how everyday words and phrases may have an influence regarding whether someone seeks needed help.

The hourlong discussion was moderated by Pasco Sheriff’s Office Cpt. Toni Roach, who oversees the agency’s Behavioral Health Intervention Team (BHIT) unit.

Cesar Rodriguez (Courtesy of Pasco County Alliance for Substance Addiction Prevention)

Stigma experienced everywhere
Cesar Rodriguez understands the problem better than many, as someone who has been in recovery for seven years, after battling a heroin addiction.

He has seen dark days, including an overdose that nearly killed him.

Now, he’s general manager at Sun Coast Roofing and Solar and is proudly married, with two children.

He’s also been a Pasco ASAP volunteer since 2015. He helps with fundraisers, town halls, and other outreach events.

Although he’s in a good place today, it didn’t come without constant struggles due to stigma, he said.

Before ultimately finding his path to treatment and recovery, Rodriguez told those listening in that derogatory terms, such as “junkie” and “alcoholic,” thrown at those with addictions can morph into a self-fulfilling prophecy — creating barriers that can discourage people from seeking help.

“You begin to believe the labels, and you think you’re not worthy, because you feel like you’re not worth the help,”  Rodriguez explained. “You start believing what everyone’s called you, you apply the label to yourself, ‘Well, I’m just a junkie, I’m not worth it, this is what a junkie does.’”

Stigma shows up in the real world, too, when individuals in ongoing recovery are looking for work.

With multiple felony convictions and a spotty work history, Rodriguez struggled for months, trying to find a job or even land an interview.

“I got door after door shut in my face,” Rodriguez said. “It was really disheartening.”

The increasing use of online applications also prevented face-to-face meetings with hiring managers, where life circumstances could be illuminated in more detail.

“We live in a time where almost every application is digital, so, if you look at me on a digital application with no opportunity for me to present myself and put no personality or anything to it, I just get shifted out of the pile,” he said.

Finally, he was hired for an entry-level labor position with Sun Coast Roofing.

Shame and bias toward former addicts is pervasive on social media, too.

Rodriguez has witnessed online users condemning and humiliating professionals and local businesses owners who are anonymously seeking help via 12-step recovery programs. People use social media to post old mugshots and share past criminal histories.

Said Rodriguez: “I have friends that are business owners that are also in recovery, and I see it used against them in social media, ‘Hey, did you know the guy that owns this business, here’s his mugshot,’ and people post it on social media.

“To have their mugshots paraded around Facebook, saying, ‘Don’t let this person in your house, he’s a drug addict with a record.’

Country Oaks Animal Hospital Medical Director Dr. Philip Richmond (Courtesy of Country Oaks Animal Hospital)

“Well,” Rodriguez continued, “if you’re not a strong person, that might send you running, that might send you back out again.”

Recovery is hard, he said.

It’s particularly tough when someone has been successful in recovery — built a business or a brand, and rebuilt trust — and someone comes along to tear it down — “just out of petty jealousy or ignorance,” he said.

Stigma even exists within the recovery community, said panelist Toni Reynolds, a certified peer recovery specialist who’s also in long-term recovery.

In particular, there can be judgmental attitudes toward people on medication-assisted treatment used to treat opioid addiction, like Suboxone, Subutex, Sublocade or Vivitrol.

Panelists said these medications are used by many as critical first steps in the recovery process.

“There’s still a lot of tension when people announce they’re on that (medication), and a lot of times they’re not welcomed into traditional 12-step meetings. I think it really hinders their ability to feel like they’re part of a community,” Reynolds said.

She said she personally experienced pressures among coworkers at a former workplace, while she was in a recovery program.

“It was kind of frowned upon that I was in recovery,” Reynolds said.

“Some people that I worked with weren’t supportive, and they almost encouraged me to party with them, and it just wasn’t something that I wanted to do with my life,” she said, noting she was not willing to go backwards.

Stephanie McCann has been in recovery for four years now.

Overcoming addiction and a jail stint, the 32-year-old panelist assists others as a recovery support specialist for BayCare Health System.

McCann was an IV drug user for 12 years, abusing opiates and methamphetamine among other substances, before undergoing residential treatment.

She agreed with the assertion about negative perceptions toward medicated-assisted treatment — including medical marijuana — within recovery communities, such as Narcotics Anonymous and Alcoholics Anonymous.

While considerable stigma remains in those rooms, McCann said, she’s also recently observed increased understanding of the methods others are using to get clean.

“I think it’s a work in progress and it’s getting better,” McCann said. “I think people are getting a little bit more open to the fact that not everyone’s path to recovery is the same, and that’s OK, because ultimately, if they stride to recovery, what path they took is not necessarily as important.”

The speaker also noted that people often are reluctant to be open about issues surrounding substance abuse and mental health because of stigma.

As an example, McCann said her mother once displayed embarrassment in a doctor’s office when the daughter revealed to nurses and physicians she was attending Narcotics Anonymous groups.

“It really showed me that like older mindset with mental health and substance abuse, that it just wasn’t something you talked about in front of other people,” said McCann.

McCann, however, refuses to stay silent regarding her own assorted life experiences.

“I’ve totally embraced it,” she said.

She added: “Recovery is so much of who I am now, and the path that I’ve taken through addiction has made me the person that I am now, and I’m just not able to be quiet about it.”

Stigma surrounding substance abuse and mental illness also seeps into medical profession, said Dr. Philip Richmond, who serves as medical director at Country Oaks Animal Hospital in New Port Richey.

Richmond freely offered up his past challenges with alcohol since high school, and having suicide ideations back in 2008 upon entering the field as a “newly minted” veterinarian amid stress and other factors.

The panelist referenced a study that claims around 12% to 15% of physicians will encounter an alcohol or substance use disorder. He also referenced a Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) study that reveals veterinarians are about 3.5 times more likely to die by suicide than the general population.

Yet, these problems remain “very stigmatized” throughout the medical community, Richmond said, as health professionals feel they must resolve issues themselves, without outside help.

“We (as medical professionals) somehow think that we should be able to outthink things, that we should be able to tough it out,” said Richmond.

“That’s what almost led me to not being here, was thinking, ‘It shouldn’t happen to me, look at all these things I’ve done in my life, I should be able to overcome this by myself,’ and I 100% could not.”

In his case, colleagues intervened. They recognized what was happening and got him into an inpatient treatment facility, which saved his life.

He emphasized the need for compassion and understanding for those battling addiction and mental illness.

He cited a 2015 CDC study illustrating how people with four or more traumatic childhood experiences are seven times more likely to have an alcohol use disorder, seven-to-10 times more likely to have a substance use disorder, and 12 times more likely to take their own life.

“Things that happened to probably all of us on this panel, before we had any say in it, increased our chances exponentially of having a use disorder,” Richmond said.

That, he said, has been one of the most powerful things he has learned.

Published June 23, 2021

Swinging into summer, safely

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Florida’s Poison Control Centers – Jacksonville wants to help families swing into summer, and to do so with safety in mind.

“From snake bites and jellyfish stings, to pool chemical accidents and foodborne illnesses, poisonings increase during the summer,” said Dr. Dawn Solee, center director, in a news release.

“The kids are home from school, families are traveling and more people are outdoors – this leads to more exposures,” said Solee.

Here are some summer safety tips to follow:

  • Pool chemical safety: Ensure you are in a well-ventilated area when using pool chemicals, and follow product instructions carefully. Do not store chemicals where flammable items may mix, and never mix pool chemicals because it could create a toxic gas. Keep all chemicals stored up and away from children.
  • Snake bites: If someone has been bitten by a venomous snake, call the poison control center or, in dire circumstances, call 911. If bitten, remove jewelry and tight clothes, immobilize the extremity, keep the affected area at or below the heart, and wash the area gently. Do not feed the victim, place ice on the bite or apply a tourniquet.
  • Insect repellent usage: Read and follow all instructions carefully. Do not use on a child’s hands, eyes, mouth or cut/irritated skin. Spray into an adult’s hands and then apply to the child. Do not use combination sunscreen/repellent products. Sunscreen needs to be reapplied, and repellent should not be reapplied. After returning indoors, wash skin with soap and water.
  • Other outdoor hazards: At the beach, keep a spray bottle of vinegar handy for jellyfish stings. If stung, call poison control for treatment advice. For spider bites, call the poison control center immediately. Apply a baking soda paste to common insect stings, then call poison control for more specific advice. Treat all wild mushrooms as poisonous, unless you are absolutely certain they are OK to eat.

Florida’s Poison Control Center can be reached at 800-222-1222, 24 hours a day.

For more information, visit FloridaPoisonControl.org.

Published June 23, 2021

Health News 06/23/2021

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Father/son nursing duo
The most recent study by the National Council of State Boards of Nursing indicates that only about 9% of registered nurses (RNs) are male, up slightly from about 7% in 2013, according to a news release.

Jim Wilson (Courtesy of BayCare Health System)

In recognition of Father’s Day, BayCare Health System wanted to spotlight the father/son nursing duo of Jim Wilson and Ryan Wilson.

Jim has been a nurse since 1992 and an RN in the surgery department at St. Joseph’s Hospital-North in Lutz, where he has worked since 2010.

Ryan is an RN in the interventional radiology department at St. Joseph’s Hospital in Tampa. He has been a nurse for seven years, with five of those years at St. Joseph’s.

Ryan Wilson

Both father and son went into nursing as career changes.

Keeping it all in the family, Susan Wilson (wife and mother) was a registered nurse for 20 years, and Susan’s mother also was a nurse.

Ryan is mechanically inclined and hands-on, so being an interventional radiology nurse suits him.

Earlier this year, both father and son were honored by their respective hospitals within weeks of each other.

Jim was awarded a Clinical Nurse Excellence Lifetime Achievement Award, and Ryan was named Team Member of the Month (May).

New executive director
The Alliance for Healthy Communities (AHC) has welcomed Dr. Lauren Bates as its new incoming executive director.

Lauren Bates

Bates is a lifelong advocate of health and wellness and will be a tremendous asset to the families of Pasco County, said Chrissie Parris, AHC president, in a news release.

Bates earned her undergraduate degree from Xavier University in pedagogy and education, with a minor in Spanish.

She holds a master’s degree in environmental science, policy and geography from the University of South Florida, and went on to earn her Ph.D., from Ohio State University.

Prior to joining the Alliance for Healthy Communities, Bates served as the national director of research and data at a nonprofit for youth and their families, and served as the principal investigator and supervisor for health and wellness projects with multiple agencies at the federal and state levels.

The AHC is the umbrella organization that hosts the Alliance for Substance Addiction Prevention (ASAP) coalition and STAND Above the Influence youth coalition, and was formed to expand these programs.

For questions, comments or concerns, or to reach out to Bates, email .

New team member

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Dr. Francis Mercado

Access Health Care Physicians LLC has welcomed Dr. Francis Mercado to its medical team, at the practice of Dr. Jennifer Laman in Hudson.

Mercado came to Access Health Care after completing a post-graduate internship in Hospital Auxillio Mutuo in San Juan, Puerto Rico, where he actively worked on the front lines during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Mercado received his medical degree with distinction from Universidad Ibero Americana in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic, in 2011.

He also has extensive experience in assisting physicians, including serving as a case manager with the Federal Bureau of Investigation in Washington, D.C., and as a surgical department volunteer at the Veteran’s Affairs Medical Center in Washington.

Speakers address mental health needs

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Suicide prevention and partnerships between law enforcement and mental health providers were the focus of talks delivered in a Zoom Session, on May 11, hosted by Saint Leo University’s East Pasco Education Center.

Sarah Shirina, licensed supervisor of behavioral health with BayCare Behavioral Health, shared her expertise on the topic of suicide prevention, while also discussing local services that are available to help people struggling with mental illness.

Sarah Shirina addressed suicide prevention during a speaker series hosted by Saint Leo University. (Courtesy of University of Saint Leo)

Shirina is the supervisor over BayCare Behavioral Health’s mobile response team in Hernando County.

She’s also an adjunct professor for Saint Leo University, with a bachelor’s and master’s degree in social work from the university.

She began by sharing national suicide data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

“Suicide, unfortunately, is one of the leading causes of death in the United States. It is the 10th leading cause of death in the United States, claiming over 48,000 lives.

“Suicide was the second-leading cause of death in individuals, between the ages of 10 and 34, and the fourth leading cause of death, among individuals between the ages of 35 and 54,” she said.

“There were actually 2½ times as many suicides in the United States as there were homicides, in 2018.

“So, what does that look like for our state? In 2019, Florida had a total of 3,427 deaths by suicide.

“In Florida, suicide is the eighth-leading cause of death,” Shirina said, adding the age group of 55 to 64 is most affected.

Shirina shared information derived from a research project by BayCare Behavioral Health and the University of South Florida, focusing on suicide in the Tampa Bay region.

Hot spots have been identified in all five counties in the Tampa Bay area, Shirina said.

“Hernando, Pasco and Pinellas, unfortunately, are all ahead and have higher averages of suicide deaths than the state of Florida.

“You’ll see that all of Florida had a total of 15 deaths per 100,000. And Hernando, Pasco and Pinellas are all in the 20s (per 100,000),” she said.

“Suicide affects men at a much greater percentage than it does women.

The study found that from 2010 to 2016, the suicide rate for men was twice as great as it was for women, she said.

“As our age groups increase, our military population is at a greater risk to be affected by suicide,” she added.

One of the big conclusions of the research was that Pasco, Hernando and Pinellas bear a disproportionate burden of death by suicide, in comparison to the state and surrounding counties, Shirina said.

Another conclusion: These are the same counties that bear the burden of the opioid addiction crisis.

She also noted that “80% of people who died by suicide had never had an involuntary examination, also known as the Baker Act.

“This, to me, was an alarming statistic,” Shirina said.

Among those who had undergone a Baker Act examination, 60% of those who died by suicide did so one or more years after their involuntary examination.

The study also found that middle- and older-aged white men had the highest rates of suicide, and among those who died by suicide, many had military backgrounds.

The research showed that guns were the most common method of suicide by men in all five counties.

By comparison, in Hillsborough, Pasco and Polk counties, more women died by overdose than did by guns, Shirina said.

“So, what can we do to help those who may be struggling?” Shirina asked.

Safety planning can help.

“When we’re safety planning with someone, we’re identifying their warning signs, their triggers and their stressful events that could lead to a crisis. We’re discussing with that person what they can do, what coping skills they can use to feel better.

“We’re discussing their support network. Who can they call when they need help? Who can they lean on?

“If possible, we often use that support network, when we’re creating these safety plans,” she said.

“We talk about what they look forward to in the future. What is important to them and what is worth living for? This is a great reminder, when someone is having these deep thoughts, that there are things in their future that they look forward to, and really, what is worth living for?

“We give a copy of this plan to them and to their support system, if possible, and we encourage them to keep it somewhere safe, so they can use it when they’re feeling upset,” Shirina said.

Dawn Wever addressed efforts being made to help mentally ill people get the help they need, instead of being locked up in jail.

Dawn Wever, the second speaker during the session, is a practicing mental health counselor.

She’s been an instructor in Crisis Intervention Team training for a number of law enforcement agencies. She’s also been a presenter on the topic at state conferences, is a former board member for National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) Hernando and has done considerable research on collaborations between law enforcement and mental health professionals.

One in five Americans are affected by mental illness in any given year, according to statistics from NAMI, Wever said. That equates to approximately 57.7 million Americans living with mental illness. Of those, just 41% will receive treatment in any given year.

Research also shows that the average length of time from initial diagnosis to the onset of treatment is 10 years, she said.

She shared the story of the Memphis Police Department Crisis Intervention Team, which in later years came to be known as the Memphis Model.

The model stemmed from a 1987 incident in which police officers were called to an area of public housing in Memphis, where a young man was threatening with a knife, she said. Police officers ordered him to put down the knife. He refused. Eventually, police opened fire and the man was killed, she said.

“The mayor of Memphis turned to local advocates from NAMI and enlisted police, community mental health professionals, university leaders, hospital administrators, church officials to find a new approach to working with persons with mental illness, who are in crisis,” she said.

The approach involves a 40-hour, weeklong training for officers, deputies, detention personnel and dispatch, as well, regarding the recognition and understanding of signs and symptoms of mental illness, and focuses on verbal, de-escalation techniques, said Wever, who holds a master of arts/psychology from Saint Leo University.

Encounters between police and the mentally ill began increasing after the deinstitutionalization of psychiatric facilities began happening in the 1980s and 1990s, she said.

The expectation was that community-based mental health care facilities would provide treatment to those individuals released from psychiatric hospitals. Instead, county jails have become the largest mental health facilities in the country, added Wever, who has been in private practice since 2012.

The Rand Corporation estimated in 2020 that 15% of the men and 31% of the women incarcerated across the country have a serious and persistent mental illness, Wever said.

According to NAMI estimates, at least 400,000 currently behind bars in the United States suffer from some type of mental illness, Wever added. The organization also estimates that 25% to 40% of all mentally ill Americans will be incarcerated at some point in their lives.

She told Zoom listeners about a mental health unit operated by the San Antonio (Texas) Police Department .

“That’s regarded as one of the best law enforcement-based mental health units in the country,” she said.

“It was established in 2008 and to date, they have maintained zero use of force in a mental health call for service,” Wever said.

Shirina and Wever gave the final two presentations during a Social Services Speaker Series, which began on April 13.

Besides being informative, the series was intended to give participants exposure to a wide range of career opportunities in the helping professions.

To find out more about Saint Leo University’s East Pasco Education Center, email Derek Saunier, center director, at  or call 352-588-7451.

Warning signs of suicide

  • Increased alcohol and drug use
  • Aggressive behavior
  • Withdrawal from friends, family and community
  • Dramatic mood swings
  • Impulsive or reckless behavior
  • Collecting and saving pills or buying a weapon
  • Giving away possessions
  • Tying up loose ends, like organizing personal papers or paying off debts
  • Saying goodbye to friends and family

Suicidal behaviors are a psychiatric emergency. If you or a loved one exhibits these behaviors, seek immediate help from a health care provider or call 911.

If you are unsure, a licensed mental health professional can help assess.

Source: National Alliance on Mental Illness

Suicide Myths
Sarah Shirina, licensed supervisor of behavioral health with BayCare Behavioral Health, discussed some myths about suicide during a recent Zoom presentation hosted by the University of Saint Leo.

Here’s an excerpt from what she shared:

Myth: Talking about suicide or asking someone if they feel suicidal will encourage suicide attempts.

Fact: Talking about suicide provides the opportunity for communication. Fears that are shared are more likely to diminish.

Myth: People who talk about suicide never attempt or die by suicide.

Fact: Talking about suicide can be a plea for help, and it can be a late sign in the progression toward a suicide attempt. Those who are most at risk will show other signs, apart from talking about suicide.

Myth: If a person attempts suicide and survives, they will never make a further attempt.

Fact: A suicide attempt is regarded as an indicator of further attempts. It is likely that the level of danger will increase with each further suicide attempt. Just because someone has attempted suicide previously does not mean they are no longer at risk of attempting in the future.

Myth: Once a person has suicidal intent, there is no way of stopping them.

Fact: This is so far from the truth because suicides can be prevented. People can be helped. Suicidal crises can be relatively short-lived. Immediate practical help, such as staying with the person, encouraging them to talk and helping them build plans for the future can avert an intention to attempt or die by suicide. Such immediate help is valuable at the time of a crisis, but appropriate counseling also will be needed.

Need help?
Call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: 800-273-8255.
Call 2-1-1 for additional resources.

Want to help?
BayCare offers free Mental Health First Aid Training. To find out more, call 800-878-5470.

Published June 09, 2021

Health News 06/09/2021

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St. Joseph’s Hospital-North nurse manager Ellen Normandin alongside Robert Sakoff. (Courtesy of St. Joseph’s Hospital-North)

Patient gifts painting to hospital
St. Joseph’s Hospital-North in Lutz prominently displays a painting of a spring nature scene with trees, flowers and a small footbridge over a brook, in a team member common area.

There is a small gold plate attached beneath the painting inscribed with these words: “A Bridge to Recovery. To staff on 4 West for saving my life.”

The painting was done by COVID survivor Robert Sakoff, as a gift to the unit, according to a news release.

Sakoff spent 16 days in St. Joseph’s Hospital-North earlier this year as a COVID patient.

“I feel 120%,” said Sakoff, age 74, in the release.

Sakoff is originally from New York, but now resides in Tampa’s Northdale section.

Robert Sakoff’s painting titled, ‘A Bridge to Recovery.’

He described his battle with COVID during his early days in the hospital as being serious and “on the brink.”

As he began to recover and to feel better, Sakoff started the painting.

His wife, Mary, brought painting supplies to the hospital entrance and team members would take the supplies to Sakoff’s room.

“It was kind of boring being by yourself,” said Sakoff. “It was lonely, you couldn’t have family or visitors, so I started the project of this painting….It took hours in the day and it also helped my recovery because mentally it helped me focus also.”

Sakoff said he was pleased with the way the paint-by-numbers painting turned out.

“The care that I received there (St. Joseph’s Hospital-North) was amazing. The people were amazing, they’re friendly, they’re efficient. In my gratitude, I finished the painting and wanted them to have it. The painting was a park scene with a bridge, so I titled it ‘A Bridge to Recovery’” he said.

Board certifications
Advanced Cancer Treatment Centers has announce that its radiation oncologists, Dr. Peter James Zavitsanos and Dr. Clayton Elliott Alonso, have been granted certification on radiation oncology and now can use the designation of Diplomate, American Board of Radiology.

Having completed the appropriate training for “Authorized User Eligibility,” Zavitsanos and Alonso also will receive the AU-eligible designation on their certificates.

The doctors’ names and demographic information will now be included in a directory published by the American Board of Medical Specialties.

Mosquito warning

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The Florida Department of Health in Pasco County (DOH-Pasco) advises residents that there has been an increase in mosquito-borne disease activity in areas of Pasco County, according to a news release.

The Florida Department of Health in Pasco County has issued a warning about an increase in mosquito-borne disease activity. (File)

Several sentinel chickens have tested positive for the Eastern equine encephalitis virus infection. As a result, the risk of transmission to humans has increased.

The Pasco County Mosquito Control District and DOH-Pasco continue surveillance and prevention efforts.

DOH-Pasco reminds residents and visitors to avoid being bitten by mosquitoes and to take basic precautions to help limit exposure.

To protect yourself from the insects, remember to drain standing water to stop mosquitoes from multiplying.

Drain water from garbage cans, house gutters, buckets, pool covers, coolers, toys, flowerpots and other containers. Empty plastic swimming pools and boat tarps that accumulate water, too.

Discard old tires, drums, bottles, cans, pots and pans, broken appliances and other items that aren’t being used. Empty and clean birdbaths and pet water bowls at least once or twice a week.

Residents should cover their skin with clothing or repellent.

Wear shoes, socks, long pants and long-sleeves.

Apply mosquito repellent to bare skin and clothing. Always use repellents according to the label.

Use mosquito netting to protect children younger than 2 months old.

For more information, visit Pasco.floridahealth.gov.

Social worker addresses rising youth mental illness

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As efforts continue to lessen stigma and discrimination regarding mental illness — the challenges have become even greater during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Even so, there are ways to strengthen awareness and improve access to treatment and counseling for troubled youth and adults, according to Sativa Fisher, a social worker for the Hernando County School District.

Fisher was a featured guest speaker during an April 27 virtual social services event hosted by Saint Leo University’s East Pasco Education Center.

Hernando County School District social worker Sativa Fisher (Courtesy of Mary McCoy, Saint Leo University)

Her talk was part of a speaker series for students and prospective students interested in “helping careers.”

Topics for the free online series were selected with the goal of having broad appeal to those interested in social work, education, criminal justice, psychology, and human services.

Fisher’s presentation focused on her work, the prevalence of youth mental health issues and the function of social workers in the public school setting.

The social worker emphasized just how “widely underestimated” mental illness is in the United States, particularly among teens and high school students.

She cited these statistics and figures from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)’s 2019 Youth Risk Behavior Survey:

  • 19% of students nationwide considered suicide
  • 16% of students nationwide made a suicide plan
  • 9% of students nationwide attempted suicide
  • Notable risk factors for suicide ideation include being a non-Hispanic, Black female who identifies as lesbian, gay or bisexual.

Fisher also shared various findings from Mental Health America, the nation’s leading community-based nonprofit to address the needs of those living with mental illness and promoting overall mental health of all:

  • 9.2% of United States youth ages 12 to 17 cope with severe major depression
  • The state prevalence of youthwith severemajor depressive episodes ranges from 6% in Mississippi to 13.2% in Nevada (Florida stands at 10%).
  • The number of youth experiencing major depressive episodes increased by 121,000 from 2018 to 2019.

The social worker pointed to an “alarming” finding in her research cited from Mental Health America — youth experiencing major depressive episodes continue to go untreated.

Even among states with greatest access for youth, almost 50% of youth still do not receive the mental health services they need, according to the organization’s reports, Fisher said.

“It’s interesting how much of an issue mental health is, and how undertreated it is, even within our society today,” said Fisher, who obtained her bachelor of social work from Saint Leo University and her master of social work from University of South Florida.

Fisher also shared her thoughts about potential contributing factors regarding why suicide ideations and major depression have become so prevalent among American youth in recent years.

“We have many kids who have access to social media and are learning a lot more than they used to, and that’s become evident between both in elementary and middle school, and the things that they’re exposed to, they don’t know, developmentally, how to deal with it,” she said.

The pandemic hasn’t helped, either.

Fisher referenced data showing about 40% of U.S. adults reported struggling with mental health this past year, up from about 25%, pre-COVID.

Parents and caregivers are struggling “with everything that comes with being in this pandemic that we all have experienced,” she said.

The rising levels of stress, loneliness, depression, anxiety has all but “rubbed off” on children, Fisher said.

“I’ve heard more stories of families having friction, more arguments,” Fisher said. “(Students) just feel more anxious…and that shows up in their schoolwork, that shows up in their peer relationships, with their adult relationships.”

Social work delivers rewarding responsibilities
Fisher is one of 13 social workers in the Hernando County School District.

She started working this past school year, amid the pandemic.

Besides her educational background, Fisher joined the district equipped with real-world experience — having worked in internships in a hospital pediatric unit and residential program for adolescent girls.

Saint Leo University’s East Pasco Education Center has an ongoing virtual social services speaker series focusing on social work, education, criminal justice, psychology, and human services. An April 27 seminar focused on substance abuse and mental health issues among youth in public schools. (File)

In her role, Fisher assists kids, families and the community at large. She strives to “make a difference in someone’s life.”

She also described the duties of a school social worker, which includes making referrals, doing evaluations and completing behavior assessments. It also involves problem-solving through multi-tiered system of supports, counseling, teen parenting education, substance abuse education and more.

“It’s so much,” quipped Fisher, who also has started completing the supervision requirements to become a Licensed Clinical Social Worker.

She detailed how school social work has evolved from focusing on attendance and truancy issues to being more involved with students who have mental health and behavioral issues.

Today’s school social worker reaches out to parents of students who are undergoing major behavioral issues, gathers information on their home life, and offers potential solutions and sources of help.

Fisher put it like this: “Sometimes, parents don’t even know the resources available to them, so if they have a student who’s having major behavior issues and they don’t understand why, maybe we’ll talk a little bit about that. Some kids require a little bit more structure than other kids. Some kids require to be spoken to a little bit differently. Every child is different…”

School systems play an important role in helping bridge the mental health gap, she said.

“Many people will say, ‘Oh, it’s on the parents,’” Fisher said.

But, parents don’t always know about services and because school attendance is mandatory until age 16, school districts are in a good position to observe students who have mental health needs and can help direct families to resources, she said.

One of the satisfactions of her job is seeing a student make positive changes during the course of a school year, Fisher said.

“It’s not anything that I necessarily do, it’s the choices that they make. I just give them the information and the platform to express and explore,” the social worker said. “I have a couple of kids right now that I’ve been working with for several months, and they’ve turned their grades around, they’ve turned their peer relationships around, and that, I think, is the most rewarding.”

Published May 26, 2021