33 OCTOBER 2023 By Mark Hays Breanne Hartman’s son, Huxton, was diagnosed with autism before his second birthday. After the diagnosis, Breanne and her husband, Justin, were searching for a therapy center for Huxton to attend and realized their home base – the Arcadia community – did not have one. “Justin has been in the behavior health industry for four years, and he sparked the idea that we should open a center in Arcadia and accept every major insurance provider so that we can provide service to any child in need,” Breanne said. “So that is what we did! We opened within five months and are scheduled at 100 percent occupancy.” Phoenix Autism Center (PAC) is located at 4801 E. McDowell Road in Phoenix. The clinic offers therapy for children with autism and their families. PAC provides early intervention ABA therapy to children 18 months to six years old. Applied Behavior Analysis, or ABA for short, is a therapy founded on the science of learning and behavior. ABA therapy involves an understanding of how behavior works in real-life situations. The goal is to increase helpful behaviors and decrease harmful behaviors that affect learning. A strong support system helped the family make this dream a reality. “Opening a business from scratch takes a lot of dedication, hard work and time,” Breanne said. “To be honest, we didn’t face many challenges upfront because we set ourselves up for success with the help of individuals who have worked in the autism space for years.” Restrictive insurance policies complicated the family’s search for a suitable therapy center. “It became apparent that most centers are very selective about which insurance companies they work with based on reimbursement rates,” Breanne said. “If your family has a plan with lower reimbursement rates, your child could go without services.” Challenges once again arose when dealing with the actual insurance companies. “The biggest challenge we have faced is receiving timely reimbursements from insurance providers,” Breanne said. “To overcome, we follow up daily on claims until they are paid.” With PAC already at 100 percent capacity, Hartman is looking toward expanding to offer services to more people. They are working with Arcadia-based medical office broker Aaron Kuhl on adding additional locations around the Valley. “We are always thinking of new ideas and ways to help children and their families within the community. PAC will also start a nonprofit foundation to provide financial support for low-income families that will assist them in getting ASD diagnoses and additional support beyond what ACCCHS covers,” Breanne said. phoenixautism.com Phoenix Autism Center opens OPEN HOUSE October 26th from 9:00-11:00am We invite you to join us for an informative morning which includes: a welcome presentation, meeting teachers, staff, and parent volunteers, followed by a tour and an opportunity for Q&A. Check in begins at 8:45am; Program begins at 9:00am Please contact the school office with any questions. This presentation is for parents only. Let us know you’re coming! staphxschool.org/admissions_inquiry_form DEEP FAITH, ACADEMIC EXCELLENCE, COMMITMENT TO SERVICE 4510 N. 24TH STREET • PHOENIX, AZ 85016 www.staphxschool.org (602) 954-9088 SÅTÜRDÅÝ, ÑØVËMBËR 11 10ÅM-3PM ØPËÑ TØ THË PÜBLÏÇ ËÑTRÝ 2312 Ë. ÇÅMPBËLL ÅVË. PÅRKÏÑG LØT ÅÑÑÜÅL ÇÅRÑÏVÅL FOOD, GAMES, BOUNCE HOUSES and SLIDES, BEER GARDEN (21+ only, I.D. Required) Cash and Credit Cards Accepted

34 OCTOBER 2023 By Mallory Gleich No one experiences depression the same way, but it can affect anyone at any time. As the holidays approach and autumn sets in, October is a good time to check in with yourself and those close to you. It’s a time to talk about depression and mental health. According to the National Institute of Mental Health, symptoms of depression can include a persistent sad, anxious, or empty mood, feelings of hopelessness, pessimism, irritability, frustration, or guilt, loss of interest in hobbies and activities and decreased energy, fatigue, or feeling slowed down. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention state that almost 50,000 people took their own lives in 2022. Suicide rates were up in 2018, fell in 2019 and again in 2020; in 2021, they rose, and in 2022, the rates increased another three percent. If you think you might be depressed, or just want to talk about it, the first step is to speak out. It can even be anonymous with a new crisis line established last year. Anyone in the U.S. can dial 988 to reach a mental health specialist. The next step? Get screened. “Screeners serve as a tool to allow doctors and behavioral or mental health professionals to get an overall view of what the patient is feeling, the frequency of those feelings, and other outside factors to consider when a treatment plan is created,” youth advocate Katey McPherson said. Katey was an education professional for 25 years before leaving the industry to pursue mental health and wellness advocacy. She holds assemblies with students and school faculty members to provide a sense of connection so that attendees know they are never alone and to speak out if they have concerns. “A mental health screening is a set of questions the health practitioner asks to look for signs of need. Screenings can check for anxiety, depression, mood, thinking, and even behavior,” psychiatric mental health nurse practitioner Betsy Serrano said. “Screenings don’t diagnose a problem, but they help catch a mental health condition before it becomes harder to solve.” There may not be a specific reason that October was chosen as the designated month for depression and mental health screening, but Katey said it marks the second quarter within school districts – now that kids have settled into their schedules, they’re starting to experience added stresses. “By designating October as an awareness month, we can actively reach out with articles, classes, prayer days and national screening days in hopes that everyone will participate,” Betsy added. “October is a collective time to bring awareness and get involved in helping our fellow citizens.” Betsy has been in the mental health and wellness industry for over a decade and recently opened Cora Health Solutions at 32nd St. and Highland Ave. The most significant surges of suicides in 2022 were seen in older adults. Deaths rose nearly seven percent in people ages 45 to 64 and more than eight percent in people 65 and older. “Unfortunately, we have also experienced several youth suicides in August 2023 in several school districts in Maricopa County, within the first few weeks of school,” Katey said. These are sad statistics, but there is reason for hope. The national crisis line launched in 2022. Furthermore, school districts have more resources available for families and work with nonprofits like Teen Lifeline, Not My Kid and Community Bridges to spread awareness and offer help. Mental health screenings are available within schools, online and with a physician or mental health professional. “Symptoms differ for each individual and often looks different amongst genders,” Katey said. “Talk to your kids and listen intently. Going for ice cream and having short talks while riding in the car or walking or running is an idea. Bodies in motion can open the verbal emotive centers, and often you will get a whole story much faster this way.” Concerns that kids and teens may be having, especially in school, include bullying, harassment and sexually explicit or violent language directed toward them. For older teens, the cost of college and anxiety about transitions like leaving for college or the leap from junior high to high school can be factors of depression and suicide. “Other factors include parental pressure or peers talking about their plans and having more of a plan than others,” Katey said. “Plus, the cost of everything has skyrocketed, social media exposure is on the rise, and trusted adults who are not relevant or current in understanding children of this generation could be a driving force.” Despite this, Katey offered “happy stats,” too – the most important being that we are always making progress. Laws have been passed, more funding was put into the Access to Care fund, and Jake’s Law, which increases access to treatment by ensuring compliance with mental health and addiction insurance parity laws, remains in force. Katey and Betsy said that one of the reasons behind kids and teens coming forward about their feelings and mental health concerns is that youth have de-stigmatized help-seeking. “Adults are finally getting that these students need ‘help finders,’” Katey said. “Social media – for all the bad news it gets – has helped students come forward and know it’s okay not to be okay and where to go. Kids that feel like they have a sense of control of things, even when things aren’t great, do better and feel better.” “I think we are talking about mental health more in our communities. Parents, teachers, and friends are talking with each other and are reducing the stigma attached to mental health. We all have something that has affected us, and usually someone has helped in recovery,” Betsy said. “We need to continue to reach out and talk about feelings and what’s happening in kids’ lives. There is a lot of support in communities for mental health. Don’t wait to reach out. Just ask.” Don’t wait to reach out – it’s okay to ask for help. October is National Depression and Mental Health Screening Month Betsy Serrano Katey McPherson By Shi Bradley Over the past five decades, Xavier Prep has won 37 golf state championships, making them one of the best high school teams in Arizona. The program has supported players like senior Lena Durette, who currently ranks in the top 15 percent in the state and top 20 percent in the country in the junior golf category. Xavier sisters Natalia and Alexis Lamadrid have also made their mark. The duo has played in tournaments since childhood and won numerous awards. Their father enjoyed the game and started taking Alexis on the golf course when she was four. Natalia became interested and began taking lessons at age five. Both girls were in tournaments by ages six and seven. “My dad is the driving force in our golf journey,” Alexis said. “At first, he would put us in as many tournaments as possible, but then realized it wasn’t necessary and started to be more selective. I didn’t mind since I loved making friends, and each tournament might bring me a new acquaintance. Soon, I started to get serious about the game.” Natalia and Alexis have both traveled to Pinehurst and San Diego for Junior Worlds Tournaments, with Alexis receiving her first award at age seven when she won second place. This year, Alexis finished 10th and even par for the Junior World Golf Tournament. One of their most notable accomplishments was playing in the final stop of Stephen Curry’s Underrated Golf Tournament, a junior event created by Golden State Warriors Point Guard Stephen Curry. On the Underrated Tour, 48 top female golf players, ages 12 to 18, play a 36-hole stroke event across several states, starting in Florida and ending in California. Alongside their classmate Lena and 10 other finalists, Natalia and Alexis played the final event, The Curry Cup Championship, at the Lake Merced Golf Club in San Francisco. Alexis placed eighth in the second round of the championship. “The Underrated Tour was the most amazing experience because of all the people involved,” Alexis said. “We all know how hard this game is, and sharing the struggles and victories with everyone on the tour was incredible.” Golf has allowed the sisters to grow and bond even more profoundly. “Playing with my sister makes it more fun. We push each other at practices,” Natalia said. “We are very competitive with each other, and that, I believe, makes me a better golfer.” Outside of golf, Natalia enjoys traveling, while Alexis enjoys baking and writing. Alexis plans to pursue golf professionally after college. “I will continue to work on my golf game and hopefully be recruited to a D1 university. Once I graduate, I will pursue a career as an LPGA player,” she said. Natalia looks forward to playing more golf while also gaining life experiences. “I look forward to new challenges in tournaments and growing as a person. I know that time flies, and I want to look back and know that I took advantage of every opportunity to travel and learn more about myself before going to college,” she said. Xavier golfers take on the Underrated Tour Steph Curry (middle, in purple shirt) developed the Underrated Golf Tournament so that “youth from underserved communities can gain access to all of the opportunities the sport of golf offers.” PHOTO COURTESY OF MADELINE HILLER