Lakewood Center is part of the La Amistad Foundation, an organization founded in 1970 as a halfway house, providing a broad spectrum of services for adults with severe mental illness. (La Amistad means "friendship" in Spanish.) In 1989 La Amistad Foundation became Lakewood Center and shifted its focus to providing quality long-term care for adults with chronic mental illness. Lakewood Center continues to provide a supportive, therapeutic community for adults in need of long-term mental health care.
La Amistad Foundation, Inc., dba Lakewood Center is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization.
Lakewood Center is a member of the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) and the American Residential Treatment Association (ARTA).
"It encourages our hearts that we have our son with caring people."
the needs of our residents with chronic mental illness and their families
each and every resident as a person, looking beyond illness
our residents by providing a therapeutic community with services to improve their quality of life
Lakewood Center is a long-term residential treatment community for adults ages 21 and over who are in need of mental health treatment. The average private pay fee is roughly $5,000 per month with a minimum 6 month stay.
At Lakewood Center, our trained 24-hour staff provide a wide range of psychiatric care services along with recreational opportunities, wellness programs, and a Therapeutic Work Program. Our programs vary in the degree of structure and supervision to meet the specific emotional, social, and physical needs of each resident.
Our services include group therapy, crisis counseling, medication monitoring, and individualized treatment planning to help our residents manage the symptoms of their mental illnesses so they can enjoy life to the fullest. The primary goal of our voluntary Therapeutic Work Program is to involve our residents in meaningful work on campus, thus improving the quality of their lives. Lakewood also teaches the benefits of volunteerism and offers volunteer opportunities on campus as well as selecting community projects that match their talents and interests.
Our clinical team assists each resident with individualized treatment, helping with budget assistance, coordination of doctors' appointments, correspondence with families and other treatment providers, etc. Lakewood staff members are available 24 hours a day, but Lakewood does not continuously monitor its residents.
Our therapeutic programming and services include supportive counseling, medication monitoring and observation, crisis management, psychoeducational programming, daily therapy groups, development of individualized structure and meaningful daily activities, and health and diabetes education classes with a registered nurse.
This program is licensed as a residential treatment program Level V by the State of Florida Agency for Health Care Administration. Residents can transition to off-campus living and participate in their own individualized daily treatment plan. In addition to our Therapeutic Programming & Services, SCL residents will receive individual and group supervision via SCL Manager.
Our Medication Management process assists residents by observing self-administration of medication, performing regular medication audits, collaborating with the pharmacy, and assistance with planning for offsite self-administration of medication. Our staff members maintain communication with the psychiatrists, primary care doctors, and specialists between visits as needed for continuity of care.
This voluntary program enables residents to pursue meaningful work on and off campus, improving their quality of life. It provides residents with purpose, responsibility, and increased self-esteem. In addition to pay for their services, residents learn social skills and experience the benefits of teamwork. The Job Club is open to all residents and focuses on teaching skills necessary for success. After treatment team consultation, residents are assisted with finding employment within the community. Examples include: Food Bank, pet rescue, visits to nursing homes, Clean the World, campus beautification etc.
Lakewood offers daily social and recreational activities, including fitness programs with professional trainers, arts and crafts, music appreciation, basketball, swimming, and pontoon boat rides. Beaches, parks, museums, and local attractions are common community outings. We offer an on-campus computer lab with Wi-Fi. Our annual overnight trips have included Westgate River Ranch Resort, St. Augustine, Clearwater Beach, Caribbean Cruises.
Lakewood Center welcomes admission inquiries from families, physicians, and mental health professionals.
Please take a look at our Admissions page to see if Lakewood is right for your family!
Grounds/Maintenance/Utilities Assistant
"Michael for employee of the month. He is very friendly with other staff members and works very hard to help keep campus safe and pleasant."
“Michael - He goes out of his way to develop rapport with both coworkers and residents. This month, he took time to build a relationship with a resident who frequently breaks or unplugs things around campus, rather than getting upset that more work was being created for his department, based on an understanding of the resident’s treatment needs.”
“Michael because he always finds a way to get stuff done and get it done well. Thank you for all your hard work”
“Mike is hard working, dedicated and kind! Thank you for everything you do around campus!”
“Mike is a pleasure to work with and a great addition to the Lakewood team.”
“Michael for employee of the month. Michael is amazing with the residents and has even sought out additional psychology education in order to contribute to maintaining a therapeutic milieu. He's always happy to help staff with anything that they ask or need as well, and he does all of it with a positive attitude. Way to go Michael.”
“Michael as he is always willing to help with projects big and small. He takes initiative and is a pleasure to work with. Thank you, Michael!”
“Michael, he always has a smile on his face and takes pride in what he does, he also has a positive and contagious energy!”
“Michael has done a fantastic job since coming on board. He is easy to work with and has a "can do" attitude. His skill set is impressive and has been a perfect fit for Lakewood.”
When we visit Lakewood, I can see and feel the love and caring in the atmosphere. The Lakewood Staff go above and beyond to create a safe and happy place for their residents. It is much more than just a job for them. Fromtime to time, our son will ask, "Are you sure that I won’t ever have to leave Lakewood?" Read More
Our son has lived in the safe, loving environment at Lakewood for the past 25 years. Lakewood has been a Godsend to us and we pray that Lakewood will grow, prosper, and never perish from the face of this earth.
Since coming to Lakewood Center, my brother has enjoyed a safe, stable environment. He has made friends and has been able to socialize with others. He enjoys the stimulating activities that Lakewood provides for itsresidents. Lakewood provides our family with peace of mind knowing that our loved one is residing in a safe setting with people who genuinely care for him and are looking after his needs. Read More
The change in my brother has been amazing! He looks wonderful and I can actually have a conversation with him. I have my brother back and I can’t tell you what a wonderful feeling that is. The care he has receivedat Lakewood has made such a difference in him. If I hadn’t lived it first-hand I never would have believed it were possible! Read More
I have lived in many facilities and none has a staff like Lakewood Center. I am blessed to be here and look forward to living here indefinitely in peace and happiness!
I appreciate Lakewood because it gives me a sense of belonging. My dreams are coming true because I have independence and a whole lot of friends. I’m never lonely. The 23 years that I have been at Lakewoodhave been the best of my life! Read More
