Vashon Youth & Family Services Restructures Behavioral Health Programs

Vashon Youth & Family Services Executive Director Kathleen Barry Johnson announced today the creation of the Behavioral Health Services division at VYFS to strengthen the provision of mental health and addiction recovery treatment for youth and adults.
 
Under the leadership of Jeffrey Zheutlin, newly named Clinical Director of Behavioral Health, the restructured program unit at VYFS will combine mental health and addiction treatment. This will streamline access to services and provide more effective behavioral health care for Islanders, particularly low-income individuals and families struggling to build their futures while dealing with mental health or chemical dependency issues.
 
"The overall trend in behavioral health is to combine mental health and addiction recovery treatment services. We believe this is a better model for our clients and will ultimately mean more people can have easier access to the full range of services they need to be healthy," said Johnson.
 
Zheutlin, a licensed mental health and child mental health specialist, said: "I’m excited to lead a comprehensive, fluid, dynamic program which is now able to serve clients with multiple needs." Zheutlin previously served as Clinical Director of VYFS’ mental health program. He holds a Master’s degree and is a Licensed Mental Health Counselor. He has worked as a counselor and administrator at VYFS for more than 20 years and has more than 8 years of experience supervising clinical staff.
 
Under Zheutlin’s leadership, VYFS will be hiring a new Clinical Supervisor of Outpatient Addiction Services (formerly the HART Program). The posting for an Interim Clinical Supervisor is currently being distributed.
 
These changes and the new staffing model are critical to providing seamless access to care throughout the agency. "VYFS wants to be a place where people feel welcomed and cared about for their whole selves. A person needing help should not have to figure out how to navigate an agency. It’s our job to make our services accessible to those who need it. The changes we are putting into place will make this a reality."