Community Partners

CentraCare Clara’s House

CentraCare – St. Cloud Hospital Clara's House is a partial hospitalization program (PHP) serving children and adolescents ages 3-18 struggling with emotional and/or mental/behavioral difficulties, providing intensive mental health services including a comprehensive assessment, crisis stabilization, psychiatric medication management, individual and family therapy, art, music, and recreation therapy, occupational therapy, academics/school, parent support groups, and aftercare support planning.

“I feel a sense of connection to smaller communities, smaller schools. People know others, they take care of each other, they look out for each other. That very much shows up in the work we do here with our patients…I’m excited to explore opportunities to provide support outside of traditional settings. To open our brains for a minute and free our thinking.”

Barbara Skodje Mack, Director of Clara’s House

Selander Coaching and Consulting

Selander Coaching and Consulting’s provides mental health awareness, suicide awareness, suicide prevention, and other societal education services to under-served and at-risk communities. Selander Coaching and Consulting maintains and facilitates Petals of Peace Community Resource and Drop-in Center which provides a neutral, safe, and welcoming space for community members to access resources and services.

“A lot of times, rural communities know what you’re doing before you know it yourself. There’s a lot of fear and stigma: Who’s going to be told what, where’s the information going to go? A lot of youth aren’t reaching out because of that fear. Until we can get rid of that stigma altogether, we need to have other options. The impact [these pilot programs] could have…it blows my mind.”

Arlene Selander, Founder and CEO

The Shop Brainerd

The Shop is a non-profit charitable organization committed to providing community support to all teens and young adults as they transition into independence and adulthood. The Shop is a space where youthful energy is harnessed into creative energy with opportunities to explore potential, build lasting relationships, and establish personal connections.

“The core of our identity is acknowledgment and respect. The youth who come to The Shop have voices and they want to be heard…I’m excited by the potential here, for youth to start talking to their parents about mental health more openly. Getting involved from the ground up.”

Breton Monroe, Executive Director

Smiles for Jake

Smiles for Jake’s mission is to educate, offer resources, and provide response efforts aimed to challenge and change the stigma around mental health and suicide by building a culture of compassion, connection, and hope. Through various community events, partnerships, and smiles boxes, these efforts aim to spread joy and create a positive ripple effect. Smiles for Jake believes the smallest acts of kindness will have a profound impact to support those who need it most.

“It’s easy to get into the day-to-day routines with your own circle. The challenge becomes not forgetting those outside it. Are we checking in on our neighbors, on the people we don’t see day-to-day? We need to be reaching out to one another…We can foster that connection. We can bring a light to that isolation, that need.”

Sarah Smith, Executive Director

The YMCA Brainerd

The Brainerd Family YMCA continues to be a community hub, providing programs and services which help develop strong and resilient youth, support healthy living and wellness, and to also create a welcoming and inclusive environment for all. Through partnerships with Crow Wing Energized, Crow Wing County Community Services, Brainerd Public Schools, and many others, the Y has worked to expand collaborative efforts as well as develop supportive programs and classes for everyone, including the most vulnerable community members.

“Access to quality care is critical. We need to reach people where they are, using new tools if possible…helping the most vulnerable in our community, those with the least access. Serving all in our community is part of our mission and why we exist. This [pilot program] presents an opportunity to extend our work beyond the walls of the facility.”

Shane Riffle, CEO