The partnership between Big Brothers Big Sisters of Broward County (BBBS Broward) and Henderson Behavioral Health (HBH) was named the Community Catalyst at the Greater Fort Lauderdale Chamber of Commerce Excellence in Healthcare Awards. Also at the awards ceremony, Dr. Steven Ronik, Chief Executive Officer of HBH, received the Lifetime Achievement Award.
Building on the success of its Little Steps, Big Strides program, BBBS Broward launched a transformational new partnership with HBH in March 2026. It is designed to strengthen overall wellness for youth, families, mentors and staff across the organization.
The collaboration brings together two long-standing community nonprofits to create a comprehensive, long-term wellness initiative that equips young people with healthy coping skills to navigate major life challenges and everyday stressors including anxiety, depression, bullying, cyberbullying, academic pressures, navigating college applications, identity-related stress, suicidal ideation and family challenges.
“In the six months since Big Brothers Big Sisters of Broward County joined forces with Henderson Behavioral Health to provide wellness services and counseling sessions to our Bigs, Littles, families and staff, I’ve already seen a significant positive impact on how participants cope with and overcome challenges and stressors,” said Malena Mendez, President & CEO of BBBS Broward.
HBH clinicians provide individual and group wellness sessions, home visits when appropriate, quarterly training sessions for BBBS Broward staff that provide an orientation to the services HBH clinicians provide, how to identify common mental health warning signs and being mindful of cultural humility. Quarterly engagement and education sessions with Bigs and parents/guardians include identifying common mental health warning signs and how to communicate with children. These efforts help participants recognize early warning signs of distress and respond with compassion, understanding and care.
A dedicated wellness room called Beth’s Zen Den at BBBS Broward’s Fort Lauderdale office serves as a central hub for in-person counseling sessions with masters-level licensed clinical therapists, evaluations and staff support. The thoughtfully designed space is named in honor of philanthropist, former Big and current BBBS Broward board member Beth Linzner, whose leadership support made it possible to create a beautiful, private and serene environment where meaningful counseling sessions can take root and thrive. Depending on an individual’s needs, circumstances or preferences, sessions may also take place virtually or in their home.
The initiative also reflects a growing need for culturally responsive wellness services, particularly for youth who may feel unsafe discussing personal challenges at home or within their communities. With clinicians as part of BBBS Broward’s existing framework, the program is designed to reduce stigma while em-powering mentors and families with practical tools to support young people more effectively.
While mentoring alone has been shown to improve graduation rates, college enrollment and reduce risky behaviors, BBBS Broward leaders emphasize that mentors are not clinicians. This partnership ensures professional wellness support is readily available when needs extend beyond the mentoring relationship.
Ninety-one percent of Littles reported feeling a strong sense of belonging among their peers and feeling listened to when they bring worries or problems to their Bigs. Seventy-seven percent say they are doing better in school because of their Big, 90% say their Big makes them feel better about themselves and 94% are confident they will achieve their goals.
These outcomes demonstrate that wellness and achievement are not separate. A student who feels supported is more likely to believe in themselves, engage in school and envision a successful future. The community must recognize that student wellness is not an add-on to education. It is part of the foundation for success. When young people are surrounded with caring adults, professional resources and opportunities to grow, they’re given the confidence, resilience and tools to succeed today and build brighter futures.
For more than 50 years, Big Brothers Big Sisters of Broward County (BBBS Broward) has empowered young people to achieve their full potential through life-changing mentoring relationships. By connecting youth with caring adult mentors and providing access to critical resources and support services, BBBS Broward helps build self-confidence, foster emotional well-being, encourage academic success and prepare young people for bright and productive futures.
Guided by its mission to ignite the power and promise of youth, BBBS Broward continues to be recognized as a leader within the mentoring field. The organization received Big Brothers Big Sisters of America’s 2025 Growth Award in recognition of its excellence in programming and significant year-over-year growth in the number of mentoring matches served.
In 2026, BBBS Broward and Henderson Behavioral Health were named the Community Catalyst at the Greater Fort Lauderdale Chamber of Commerce Excell-ence in Healthcare Awards for their innovative wellness counseling partnership within the Little Steps, Big Strides program. This collaborative initiative expands access to wellbeing support for youth and families, helping participants build resilience and thrive both personally and academically.
Henderson Behavioral Health (HBH) is one of the oldest and largest community-based not-for-profit behavioral healthcare systems in Florida. For 73 years, HBH has helped over a million children, adults, and families. Henderson’s mission is to serve as the premier provider of accessible, cost effective, and quality behavioral healthcare services to the people of Florida in order to promote their mental health and well-being. Last year, Henderson served over 25,000 clients, over 5,000 of which were children and youth under the age of 18. HBH maintains the highest level of CARF (Commission on the Accreditation of Rehabilitation Facilities) accreditation and has done so continuously for thirty-three years.
