[Congressional Record Volume 157, Number 105 (Thursday, July 14, 2011)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E1323-E1324]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                  HONORING NORMAN AND DOROTHY KREISMAN

                                 ______
                                 

                           HON. VERN BUCHANAN

                               of florida

                    in the house of representatives

                        Thursday, July 14, 2011

  Mr. BUCHANAN. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor Norman and Dorothy 
Kreisman for their efforts to provide quality psychiatric services to 
Southwest Florida residents who suffer from mental illness.

[[Page E1324]]

  In the 1980s, when the Kreismans' daughter Diane came to live in 
Sarasota with her parents, they were unable to find adequate local 
facilities to treat her severe depression and symptoms of 
schizophrenia.
  They worked to raise awareness of the problem in Tallahassee and to 
secure funding from the State to provide quality care for persons who 
were suffering from serious mental health disorders.
  The Kreismans' efforts helped bring Coastal Recovery Centers, which 
is now Coastal Behavioral Healthcare, its first mental health services 
contract from the Florida Department of Children and Families in 1989.
  Two years later, they were successful in bringing to Sarasota the 
funding necessary to build the first public Baker Act receiving 
facility in the county, now known as the Kreisman Center Crisis 
Stabilization Unit (CSU).
  Recently, in recognition of their contributions to raising awareness 
and making a difference, the Kreisman Family received the Sunshine from 
Darkness first annual Diamond Award.
  Further testament to the efforts of the Kreisman family is a recent 
four-year, $2 million award from the Substance Abuse and Mental Health 
Services Administration for the integration of primary and behavioral 
healthcare on the newly dedicated Kreisman Campus for Integrated Health 
Care.
  The Kreismans' determination to deal with this issue head-on has made 
it possible for many others throughout Southwest Florida to get the 
care they need to grow and prosper, despite the challenges of mental 
illness.
  On behalf of the people of Florida's 13th District, I recognize the 
Kreismans' successful efforts on behalf of area residents dealing with 
mental illness, and applaud Coastal Behavioral Healthcare's dedication 
of its 10th Street site as the Kreisman Campus for Integrated Health 
Care in their honor.

                          ____________________