Melissa Larkin-Skinner appointed by State House Speaker Jose R. Oliva to Statewide Council on Human Trafficking
Bradenton, Fla. — Centerstone’s Regional Chief Executive Officer Melissa Larkin-Skinner has been named a member of the Direct Support Organization for the Statewide Council on Human Trafficking by Florida House Speaker Jose R. Oliva. Her appointment is effective immediately and expires October 24, 2021.
A licensed mental health counselor with 25 years of experience in mental health and addiction prevention and treatment, Larkin-Skinner has worked with children and adults of all ages in diverse programs including inpatient, outpatient, crisis intervention, intensive community-based and child welfare. She has designed and operated innovative programs to meet community needs, including the first children’s Community Action Treatment (CAT) team in 2004. CAT has been adopted as Florida’s statewide model serving youth who are struggling with severe mental health, behavioral and co-occurring disorders, along with their families.
Larkin-Skinner regularly provides state and federal policy feedback and engages in legislative advocacy as a mental health and addiction subject-matter expert in Tallahassee and Washington, D.C. She has led Centerstone in the rapid expansion of treatment services for individuals fighting opioid addiction, including Medication Assisted Treatment (MAT) in hospital, clinic and jail-based sites. She currently serves as the only behavioral health provider on the Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School Public Safety Commission.
The International Labor Organization estimates that there are 20.9 million victims of trafficking around the world. Domestically, Florida continues to rank third in the nation in the number of calls to the National Human Trafficking Hotline. For information on Florida’s Statewide Council on Human Trafficking, visit http://myfloridalegal.com/pages.nsf/Main/8AEA5858B1253D0D85257D34005AFA72
About Centerstone
Centerstone is a not-for-profit health care organization dedicated to delivering care that changes people’s lives. The organization provides mental health and substance abuse treatment, education and support to communities in Florida, Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky and Tennessee, and additionally offers individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities life skills development, employment and housing services. Nationally, Centerstone has specialized programs for service members, veterans and their loved ones, and develops employee assistance programs for businesses of all sizes. Its research institute improves behavioral healthcare through research and technology, and its foundation secures philanthropic resources to support its work. For more information, visit www.centerstone.org.
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