Southwest Florida Wine & Food Fest proceeds will help kids get mental health services

Dec. 05--Sponsors of the Southwest Florida Wine & Food Fest will dedicate part of next year's fundraiser proceeds to mental health services at Golisano Children's Hospital, program officials announced recently.

The annual auction fundraiser at Miromar Lakes Beach & Golf Club includes a separate event called "fund-a-cause" that raises money for a specific cause that is not tied to auction items.

The "fund-a-cause" event takes place during the live auction scheduled for Saturday, Feb. 25, sponsored by SWFL Children's Charities, the nonprofit organization that organizes the two-day fundraiser, which starts Feb. 24 with private chef dinners.

The 2016 fund-a-cause program raised more than $800,000 for surgical equipment and monitoring technology for the children's hospital in south Lee County. All told, the 2016 auction raised $2.8 million, according to the charity's website.

Proceeds each year go to three local beneficiaries: the children's hospital as the primary beneficiary, plus Florida SouthWestern State College and Florida Gulf Coast University. The signature wine festival event in Lee County has raised $16 million over its eight-year history.

Families in Southwest Florida face hardships accessing services for their children who have mental health illnesses and behavioral problems, due to a lack of resources and cost. An estimated 46,000 children in the region are going without treatment, according to the charity.

More than two-thirds of the pediatric patients in the region come from low-income families.

Golisano is launching a pediatric behavioral health initiative to address shortfalls in treatment for children with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, anxiety, autism, mood disorders and psychosis.

"Mental illness crosses all boundaries and affects every aspect of a child's functioning, whether it's a complex medical condition, their school performance or their family and friends," Dr. Denise Dutchak-Parmenter, with the hospital, said in a news release.

"Our goal is to allow patients to access a multi-layered approach through individual group and family therapies, coordination with schools and their primary care doctors to promote the patient's best and optimal functioning now and for their lifetime," she said.

SWFL Children's Charities last month provided a $2.4 million check to leaders at Lee Health, the nonprofit hospital system that operates Golisano, and pledged another $1 million that enabled hospital leaders to reach their goal of raising $100 million to build a larger children's hospital.

The $100 million goal was launched in 2010 to help offset the project cost of $242 million. The hospital was renamed to recognize Naples philanthropist B. Thomas Golisano, who pledged $20 million in 2012 if the amount was matched by community donations.

The new seven-story children's hospital is being built next to HealthPark Medical Center and will have 128 beds. The existing 98-bed children's hospital in the HealthPark building off Summerlin Road will be converted to adult services.

Construction of the new children's tower is scheduled to be completed in April.

Christin Collins, co-chairwoman of the 2017 Southwest Florida wine festival, said in a news release that philanthropy is essential to support and sustain the mental health initiative at the hospital.

"Mental health care must become a priority for children in our community," she said. "It's no longer a taboo subject. Children's behavioral and mental health care is complex, and it is heartbreaking for the children and families who are suffering."

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