Life-changing program ‘H.U.G.S.’ helping children with mental illness

COLLIER COUNTY, Fla. – One in four families have children affected by serious mental illness.

Thanks to a special program called H.U.G.S., or Health Under Guided Systems, thousands of families are now getting the help they need.

“I’m worried for my son,” said Alva Olmos.

Since the age of seven, Olmos’ son Gualberto Carbajal has tried to commit suicide five times.

He suffers from anxiety and depression.

“My father had left and I’ve been heartbroken,” said Carbajal.

Now at 12 years old, Carbajal continues to deal with symptoms of mental illness.

“He’s experiencing visual hallucinations, he also experiences bugs and things all over him, he has a medical condition where he pulls his hair out,” said Kathyrn Hunter, who is the executive director of the National Alliance of Mental Illness (NAMI) in Collier County.

“So every day really is a battle for him and the H.U.G.S. navigators have worked very, very closely with Healthcare Network and David Lawrence Center to get him the best treatment possible but this is a real good example of early intervention.”

Hunter tells WINK News it’s critical for kids like Carbajal to get treatment early so they can succeed in school and society. The H.U.G.S. program consists of advocates who work individually with the whole family and help them get through the challenges.

Thanks to this program, Olmos has seen improvement in her son but she knows it will continue to be a struggle.

“I’m here for him, I love my son.”

The H.U.G.S program won national recognition this year for being the most innovative in the country for early intervention.

NAMI works closely with Collier County Public Schools. They screened 1,500 kids for mental illness and were able to help a third of them.