Turning Point Management Team to Receive National Award for Excellence in Behavioral Healthcare

Turning Point Behavioral Health Care Center in Skokie is one of 18 individuals and organizations to receive an Award of Excellence from the National Council for Behavioral Health for its outstanding contribution to helping people recovering from mental illness and addictions. The National Council will present the awards, along with a $10,000 grant to each winning organization, at its annual conference in Orlando, FL, on April 21.

Turning Point is being honored for “Excellence in Behavioral Healthcare Management,” recognizing the leadership and ingenuity of CEO Ann Fisher Raney.

“Both Ann and Turning Point’s management team have demonstrated exceptional, innovative leadership, taking into account the community’s needs, and balancing those needs with practical solutions,” said Linda Rosenberg, National Council President and CEO. “We are pleased to honor them with this year’s Award of Excellence, and believe their example of leadership and innovation is a model for other behavioral health care centers across the nation.”

Under Raney’s guidance, Turning Point launched the innovative Living Room program, which is a calming center where adults in psychiatric crisis can go, instead of making an unnecessary trip to the emergency room.

When the project began, Turning Point surveyed clients, families, first responders, local hospital staff, and other community leaders about how best to serve those suffering from mental illness. Thus, with stakeholder input and staff expertise, The Living Room opened in 2011, and, despite its limited operating budget, has had an outstanding success rate – saving an estimated $1.7 million in health care costs since it opened by deflecting people from more costly hospital emergency room departments.

The Living Room is staffed by licensed therapists, a psychiatric nurse and peer counselors, and is currently open Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday and Sunday evenings from 3 to 8 p.m.

“As the leader of a non-profit organization, I am passionate about providing services that most closely meet the needs of those in our community, and I know how important it is to find creative ways to work with limited funding,” Raney said. “I am proud of The Living Room because it was created by the community for the community’s use, and because we used efficiencies of scale and economy to achieve great results.”

The National Council Awards of Excellence are given out in three categories: The Impact Awards, which honor individuals and organizations who have made an innovative effort to change the lives of those living with mental illness and addictions; The Inspiring Hope Awards, which honor those who live with mental illness or those who treat and support them; and the Advocacy Leadership Awards, which honor those who have led legislative or regulatory advocacy efforts for mental health services. Turning Point’s award is in the Impact category.

For more information visit www.TheNationalCouncil.org/Awards.

TURNING POINT BEHAVIORAL HEALTH CARE CENTER, established in 1969, is an outpatient mental health center that provides expert, affordable mental health care to all. For more information about Turning Point visit www.tpoint.org.