The Town of Davie announced on May 21 that it has been awarded Mental Health America’s 2025 Silver Bell Seal for workplace mental health, a national recognition for employers that meet benchmarks in culture, benefits, wellness programs, legal compliance and leadership engagement.

Grace Garagozo, the town’s Human Resources director, told the council the award reflected work across multiple departments and singled out the October 2024 contract that brought Valor Professional Services on board to provide a behavioral health manager and clinical support to town employees.

Ken Kronholm, founder and owner of Valor Professional Services, told council the vendor’s approach combines proactive education and clinical response. Since the program began in October 2024, Valor reported “over 70 initial outreach calls for service” that evolved into “over 200 follow‑up interactions,” ranging from short consults to clinical interventions. Kronholm said the team operates a dedicated Davie line and has an average clinician response time under 20 minutes.

Vince Van Hassel, clinical psychologist and distinguished professor of psychology at Nova Southeastern University, described the program’s emphasis on prevention and training for first responders and civilian staff. Garagozo said the town’s designation in part reflected investments in behavioral health infrastructure and leadership support.

Council members thanked HR staff and Valor for the award and for program work. There was no formal council action associated with the announcement; the presentation served as an update and recognition of the town’s workplace mental health efforts.