Superhero Feature Dr. Ora L. Strickland

When Dr. Ora L. Strickland stood up in a Capital Campaign Committee to announce her generous donation of $10,000 she created momentum and inspiration. Her gift toward the Children’s Crisis Center (CCC) paved the way for others to do the same and to reignite the path towards creating a desperately needed place for children with severe mental illness.

Community Health of South Florida, Inc. (CHI) and Community Health Foundation are extremely grateful to Dr. Strickland for her guidance and participation on the committee and for her wonderful donation.

Dr. Strickland is Dean and Professor at the Nicole Wertheim College of Nursing and Health Sciences at Florida International University in Miami, Florida.  She is the Founding Editor of the Journal of Nursing Measurement, and she initiated the Nursing Citation Index, which was subsequently integrated into CINAHL, a leading nursing search engine.  She was one of the founders of the National Institutes of Health’s National Institute for Nursing Research.

“I am very proud to give my support to CHI and the Children’s Crisis Center,” said Dr. Strickland. “The center is extremely important for the overall health of our community. It has been so rewarding to work side by side with my fellow capital campaign committee members and with the CHI leadership team.  I have seen how every donation counts and takes us closer to bringing this center to a reality. Knowing that we are only $529,000 away from reaching our $5.5 million goal, I was personally inspired to do my part.”

The CCC will be the first comprehensive center of its kind in southern Miami-Dade.   The 11,400 square foot facility will provide a haven for children suffering from mental illness. This in-patient, 24-hour, 20-bed facility will house a team of board-certified child and adolescent psychiatrists, mental health clinicians, social workers, and counselors. The medical team will provide full-service comprehensive mental health care for children up to 17 years of age, regardless of their ability to pay.

“CHI is so fortunate for the support and gift from Dr. Strickland. She has been an exemplary advocate for the center and the need for increased mental health services and we cannot thank her enough. She is a true superhero,” said Blake Hall , President and CEO of CHI.

For more information on the Children’s Crisis Center and how you can join our circle of supporters please visit https://www.chisouthfl.org/give/ or call 786- 293-5504.