Awards, Acknowledgements, Testimonials
2019 FIELD INSTRUCTOR OF THE YEAR Recipient, from the University of Central Florida, School of Social Work.
Unique Internship Program Creates Opportunity 07/30/2019 Advent Health Foundation, Central FL.
Advent Health and the University of Central Florida are focusing on the next generation of mental health therapists with a hands-on learning program.
UCF Masters of Clinical Social Work Students are developing their educational and therapeutic skills while providing therapy to uninsured residents of Orange County, Florida. The students also connect patients to community resources and primary care doctors. to the uninsured residents of Orlando. The Outlook Clinic is one of the most competitive and sought-after internships for UCF graduate clinical social work students, but it wasn’t always this way. In 2010, Adven Health partnered with Orange County and the Mental Health Association of Central Florida to create a clinic to help uninsured residents who suffer symptoms of anxiety, depression and co-occurring medical conditions who would otherwise end up in the emergency department. Julie Fleet Bilsky, LCSW, Qualified Supervisor and Clinical Program Manager at the Outlook Clinic briefly explains how she got the mental health internship program up and running.
“I have developed my own method and format to train and teach graduate students therapeutic techniques and modalities, diagnosis, ethics, laws and boundaries. Patient care and safety are first priority, as well as whole-person care and is similar to direct private practice work in the community for a much-needed population. Part of my role is to transition the interns from student to professional, preparing them for a variety of situations. The interns seem to keep their enthusiasm through out their internship. Most of the patients we see are significantly depressed with multiple medical concerns, and often with suicidal thoughts who have lost hope. It seems the patients express a renewed sense of hope from the first session and ongoing.”
Julie has won multiple awards from UCF’s School of Social Work and theNational Association of Social Workers. She won the 2014 NASW Social Worker of the Year, the Recognition of Service Award to UCF’s Field Education Program in 2016 and UCF’s Field Instructor of the Year Award in 2019.
Julie says that every student who graduates from her internship program is employed shortly after graduation. It is evident that Julie finds much joy and fulfillment in teaching other future mental health counselors. With many success stories behind her name, Julie Bilsky continues to be a guiding light to patients and students in the Orlando area.
The Outlook Clinic provides mental health services to uninsured adults in Orange County with depression or anxiety disorders. In the past six years, they have seen over 1,470 patients, and 90% of patients have stabilized or improved from receiving services at the Outlook Clinic.
Blog By Marissa Krick CF-Cns Mrktg Cord FH-Foundation.
RECOGNITION AWARD 2018 FOR OUTSTANDING COMMUNITY PARTNERSHIP between The University of Central Florida School of Social Work and Florida Hospital for Outlook Clinic Internship Program.
Julie Fleet Bilsky, LCSW NAMED
2014 SOCIAL WORKER OF THE YEAR
The Center for Behavioral Health congratulates our on-staff licensed clinical social worker, Julie Bilsky, LCSW on being named the National Association of Social Workers, Central Florida Unit, Social Worker of the Year for 2014.
As Mental Health Supervisor at the Outlook Clinic, Julie provides outpatient therapy for individuals, couples, families and groups, and has extensive experience in helping patients who are confronting the challenges of depression, anxiety, bipolar disorder, dependency issues and other mental illness. Over the years, she has gained a solid reputation as one of the best in her field, and her latest honor—being named Social Worker of the Year by her colleagues and peers—is further evidence of that.
With more than 150,000 members nationwide, the National Association of Social Workers (NASW) is the largest organization of professional social workers in the world. The association recently notified Julie that the Central Unit of its Florida Chapter, representing 400-plus professional social workers across Orange, Osceola and Seminole Counties, will honor her with the Social Worker of the Year Award in a formal ceremony held at the University of Central Florida this March.
Award Qualifications
Recipients of the Social Worker of the Year Award must demonstrate outstanding leadership, a willingness to go beyond usual protocols to achieve outstanding results, and conduct that furthers the positive image of social workers nationwide.
"Needless to say, Julie personifies these qualities to a “T.” At the Center for Behavioral Health, patients benefit every day from her warm and caring approach, her expertise in dealing with complex mental health issues, and her genuine passion for helping people feel better."
The Outlook Clinic is saving lives by offering mental health counseling to the uninsured population in Orange County. Most patients are dealing with co-occurring mental health conditions after losing a job and never thought they would be in this position.
Julie is the licensed clinical social worker at the clinic.
“Taking care of the mind, body and spirit really does apply to the patients in this clinic. The patients are isolated, the anxiety and depression have really taken over. A lot of them contemplate suicide.”
Terri came to the Outlook Clinic when she was in a deep depression. She was so depressed that she became unable to care for her youngest son. Upon meeting Julie, she remembers seeing a Maya Angelou book in her office and thought “this woman must be great.” That book quickly turned into a beacon of hope and inspiration. One therapy session, Julie invited Terri’s son, Hasaan to sit in with them. This was Terri’s turning point.
“My son said he was going to give up on me. That was my wake-up call. Miss Julie saved my life and repaired my relationship with my son.”
Today, Terri has a great relationship with all three of her kids and especially her youngest, Haasan. Terri wants people to know that there is no shame in talking about mental health or in asking for help.
“Depression affects everyone. Don’t be embarrassed to get help. You’re going to find help in the place where you least expect it. Don’t be afraid. God put Miss Julie here as my guardian angel. She’s an angel.”
Mental Health Chronicles
"Julie provides an outstanding level of care to her clients and plays in integral role within the practice that helps further the mission of Florida Hospital and thus allows for proper continuity of care in a therapeutic setting.
February 16, 2013, Joshua worked directly with Julie Fleet Bilsky at FHMG, Center For Behavioral Health"