Dennis Quaid hosts show on mental health featuring area leaders

David Lawrence Centers for Behavioral Health’s innovative approach to children’s mental health is featured on Viewpoint with Dennis Quaid, a nationally broadcast television program. The segment focuses on the work DLC is doing to raise awareness and end the stigma surrounding children’s mental health. VIEWPOINT/COURTESY PHOTO

A documentary program called “Viewpoint,” hosted by well-known actor Dennis Quaid, features Collier County’s mental health care provider, the county’s former school district leader, and a Naples parent.

The segment, which airs on public television stations, focuses on the mental health crisis affecting children and adolescents. Nationwide, suicide is the second-leading cause of death among children.

Those from Collier County featured on the program include the David Lawrence Center, its medical director, Dr. Maxim Chasanov, former Collier County Public Schools Superintendent Kamela Patton, and Lisa Kahn-Allen, a Naples parent and mental health advocate.

“There are so many different health challenges, I think, that our kids have today,” said Kahn-Allen in the segment. “I know in my own family, moods can be mercurial, responses to any types of change in schedule … can really upset the apple cart of a family in the morning and throughout the day of a child who struggles with mental health issues.”

Viewpoint Project has captivated viewers nationwide with its engaging content and unique perspectives on various topics.

Quaid, an Emmy Award-winning and two-time Golden Globe nominee, will be the keynote speaker at DLC’s 2025 Sound Minds event on March 20, 2025. The annual event raises funding intended to provide access to quality care for children, families and adults throughout Collier County.

As a national leader in mental and behavioral health, DLC continues to see an increased need for services among children and young adults. In 2023, more than 670 children and teens received critical care through the organization’s children’s crisis stabilization unit for suicidal thoughts, depression and other behavioral health struggles.

“We are extremely grateful for the opportunity to shine a light on the mental health crisis impacting youth in our communities,” said DLC CEO Scott Burgess. “One of the things we’re doing is working to raise awareness, decrease stigma and help the community better understand the signs and symptoms, so we can identify issues and provide early intervention. We must change our attitudes toward mental health, especially among children and young people, for meaningful change to be made.”

DLC offers a variety of services for children and their families, including partial hospitalization, a voluntary day treatment program, inpatient and outpatient services, and supportive community resources, such as case management and translation services.

To watch the segment, visit viewpointproject.com/features-david-lawrence centers.

To learn more about the services and programs offered by David Lawrence Centers, visit DLCenters.org .

Viewpoint Project is on the cutting edge of the television documentary industry, producing programming for public television by delivering diverse informational and educational documentaries on a variety of issues and topics. Viewpoint Project is dedicated to the mission of developing and distributing social and educational programming about our neighbors, our community and the world. Each story has one thing in common – changing our lives for the better. To learn more, visit viewpointproject.com . ¦

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