A Message from Susan Fullerton, CEO

Dear Partners in Hope, Healing & Health,

During my first week of stepping into the CEO role for Lee Carlson Center, I hosted an in-person training for all staff members – from our seasoned therapists to our front desk engagement staff – on how we can support each other and create a culture of wellness and safety as we work with our clients and community. A recurring theme was “We do this work together.”

This theme has been prominent as I’ve had the opportunity to meet with Lee Carlson Center’s individual and community supporters. We, Lee Carlson Center staff, clients and community, are doing this together. Together we are ensuring that every neighbor who needs mental health support can get it when they need it. Together we are supporting families in foster care. Together we are helping families and communities thrive by providing access to programs and services in homes, schools and clinics. You are an important partner in this work, and I am inspired by and grateful for all that you have made possible for our organization and the clients we serve.

I am asking for you to join Lee Carlson Center in addressing the dramatic increased need for affordable mental health services in our communities. Only together, can we cover cost of care for the growing number of clients who are un- and underinsured. In 2021, individual and community supporters covered more than $400,000 of mental health care for our neighbors. Lee Carlson Center has an ambitious goal of raising $100,000 by the end of the year to keep meeting community need. Making a tax-deductible gift today ensures that we can continue to work with clients regardless of their financial situations and keep low- to no-waitlists in our clinics for outpatient therapy.

I am grateful for your past support and look forward to a time when I can thank you in person. If you have any questions about your donations or the work of Lee Carlson Center, I welcome you to reach out to me with your thoughts. As a supporter, this is your organization too, and we are doing this work together.

With Gratitude,

Susan Fullerton, CEO

Meet Marissa Smook: Lead School-Based Therapist at Lee Carlson Center

What does a typical day look like for you?

A “typical” day may not truly exist in the life of an SLMH/Lead Therapist at LCC, and this is one of the things I enjoy most about my work. There is something new every day in the best way possible! In general – my days are spent meeting with clients for individual therapy; connecting with families; providing support to, and collaborating with, my work-place supervisees and colleagues; and connecting with my schools to make sure that everything is moving smoothly, and our clients and their families are getting the care they need. Intermixed in all this are note-taking responsibilities, phone calls, and lots of emails 🙂

What do you like best about working in the program?

I think my favorite things about the SLMH program are 3-fold:
1. First and foremost, I get to work with kiddos and families daily who would likely not have the same access to mental health services and care if we were not working directly out of the schools. In the school-linked mental health program, we’re able to remove barriers and hardship to provide trauma-informed, person-centered mental healthcare. I learn something new every day from the kiddos I work with and am truly grateful to be walking alongside them in their mental-health journey. Plus, 5th-8th graders can be very humbling, so they keep me on my toes and make me laugh, lots.
2. Being immersed in the school, we get a completely different viewpoint of kiddos’ mental health which helps us to provide more comprehensive care. I’m also able to work closely with our school social worker and school staff to make sure students with needs are being identified and treatment and care is being provided in a holistic way that infiltrates clients’ lives and experiences at school.
3. Specifically speaking to my lead role – I get to work closely with my colleagues who just so happen to be some of the coolest people around. In doing this, I’m able to provide support and advocate not only for individual clinicians’ needs, but also for our clients’ needs, and the SLMH program as a whole – which is pretty incredible.

How have you seen LCC make a difference in the lives of the clients?

I think I see the positive impact LCC has made in the lives of our clients daily. From little glimmers of insight and hope that we see doing the work as therapists, to the collaboration and advocacy from the LCC team as a whole to make sure clients are getting the services they need and the assistance they need to engage. An easy answer is to say anytime a client reaches their treatment goals – but I think positive impacts branch out and take shape in many different ways.

What attracted you to this work? What difference has it made in your life?

Funnily enough – I was always the person in grad school saying, “I’ll never work with kids…” plot twist, here I am working with 10–14-year-olds and absolutely loving it. When searching for a good fit following grad school and practicum, I wanted to land in a place where clients were put first, I could develop into the clinician I want to be with the help and guidance from a strong clinical support system, and ultimately a place that I felt valued and respected. This was in 2020; fast-forward to 2022 through a global pandemic and everything that came with it: I can confidently say that I’ve landed exactly where I needed and want to be.

To learn more about our School-Linked Mental Health (SLMH) program, please visit leecarlsoncenter.org or call 763-780-3036.
Interested in a career that makes a difference? Join our team! More information at leecarlsoncenter.org/careers

Meet Sam Bahr
Lead ITFC Specialist at Lee Carlson Center

What does a typical day look like for you?

A typical day can really vary in the Intensive Treatment in Foster Care program. I am mostly in the community providing therapy services to my clients at their homes or schools. When I am not meeting with a client or their family, I am in constant communication with county social workers, biological parents, and foster parents to discuss client progress or advocating for my client.

What do you like best about working in the program?

What I like best about working in this program is meeting the client were they are at. Doing in-home or community based work gives me more insight into the client’s life. This work also allows me to see more change in a family system, because I am right there and spend so much time with the families. I also love the team that I work with. As a team we share a lot of families that we work with which makes it more fun. Also we work so closely together that I never feel like I am stuck. I always have someone that I can bounce ideas off of or someone to process challenging cases with.

How have you seen LCC make a difference in the lives of the clients?

I have seen LCC make a huge difference in client’s lives. I have had so many families say that working with an LCC therapist has made a big impact on their family dynamics and has supported them through transitions such as adoption, fostering, or reunification.

What attracted you to this work? What difference has it made in your life?

I have always had a passion for listening. When I was going through graduate school I always told people that I didn’t want to work with kids, but now that I have worked with kids that are highly traumatized I wouldn’t switch for anything. The growth and progress I have seen these kids make is amazing. This work is challenging, but at the same time it makes me feel so fulfilled. Listening to these clients tell their stories and the amount of bravery each one has floors me. I am beyond privileged to work with these clients and to be a part of the ITFC team.

To learn more about our ITFC program, please visit leecarlsoncenter.org or call 763-780-3036.
Interested in a career that makes a difference? Join our team! More information at leecarlsoncenter.org/careers