Mission

Addiction has long been identified as a personal failure, a problem for those who CHOOSE to destroy their own lives. New evidence challenges this notion and identifies four personality traits as markers for vulnerability to addiction and mental health issues – Sensitivity to Anxiety, Impulsiveness, Hopelessness and Sensation Seeking. As in anything, these traits run along a spectrum and at healthy levels they provide the individual with opportunities for success. Identifying these individuals at an earlier age will help them avoid negative pit falls and use those same traits to access compassion, focus energy levels and identify healthy outlets (Just to name a few).

As a society, we must acknowledge that addiction and mental health have a very strong genetic base. Our goal is to identify those who may be at risk and assist them in developing these same traits in a positive way.

4Garrett is a local (Kansas and Missouri) not for profit foundation committed to educating the public on the following issues related to addiction and mental health:

Individual, family and genetic vulnerability
Methods of Prevention
Best practices for Identification and Early Intervention
Successful treatment options

PreVenture Program - Developing Coping Skills

Intervention – Providing tools for our children

We believe it is imperative to equip our children with positive coping skills as this greatly decreases the likelihood that they will engage in alcohol/drug use as well as decreasing mental health symptoms.

4Garrett has identified “PreVenture”, an evidenced-based program, as a critical component in preparing our community’s children. This is a short program (2-90 minute sessions) providing coping skills based on personality type. The program has shown significant decreases in alcohol/drug use and emotional struggles – more details below. The current estimate is $25,000 to train local clinicians, implement the program in local schools and share the information nation-wide. Please join us in our efforts – a list of opportunities is provided here.

PreVenture Program

In just two 90-minute sessions, the PreVenture Program provides positive coping skills to students. Knowing the ability to cope is closely associated with the likelihood a person experiences addiction, PreVenture targets the four personality factors associated with poor coping skills: Anxiety, Sensitivity, Sensation Seeking, and Impulsivity and Hopelessness (Negative Thinking). The results of the PreVenture Program are astounding.

PreVenture is different than most addiction programs because it is backed by evidence-based research and is registered with the National Registry of Evidence-based Programs and Practices. To learn more about PreVenture's credentials, visit the SMSHA evidence-based registry.

The Need for Coping Skills Provided by the PreVenture program

The coping skills taught by PreVenture are desperately needed. In Kansas alone, a recent survey of adolescents reported:

11.3% report Major Depressive Symptoms in the last year
14.5% report binge drinking in the past month
Only 6.4% of those with an alcohol problem will receive treatment
25.1% (nationally) will be diagnosed with an anxiety disorder in their lifetime

4Garrett Community Education

Schools

Schools are often the first opportunity to identify and address possible stressors that may leave individuals vulnerable to addiction. It is imperative that the staff be familiar with the outward signs and temperament or personality traits that may signal a vulnerability for addiction. 4Garrett provides free training for any and all interested staff and distributes training certificates for continuing education. Additional training for parents will be provided upon request.

Community & Small Groups

It is our goal to assist those closest to people struggling with addiction in clearly identifying resources and treatment options to fit their specific situation. 4Garrett offers resources to aid community and small group education surrounding addiction.

Nationally

On a National level we support the mission and 4 pillars of Shatterproof.

· Unite and Empower

· End the Stigma

· Advocate for Change

· Research and Innovation

bOARD OF DIRECTORS

LEIGH ANNE JOHNSON

Leigh Anne and her husband Mike formed the 4Garrett foundation after the death of her son (Mike’s step-son) in 2015. Leigh Anne attended William Woods University and Mid-America Nazarene University where she received her graduate degree in Counseling. She is a licensed Clinical Professional Counselor licensed in both Kansas and Missouri. She is certified in Blended Family Counseling, HSP (Highly Sensitive People), Trauma (2013), and Addiction Recovery. Leigh Anne is also licensed as a Registered Associate Substance Abuse Counselor II in Missouri.

MIKE JOHNSON

Mike Johnson is the Business Developer for BrightView Landscapes in the Kansas City market. Mike has over 10 years of green industry experience. Mike worked for 8 years with Ryan Lawn and Tree as the Commercial Sales Manager. Mike also has extensive sales experience with Tommy Armour Golf as a Territory Manager, Regional Sales Manager and National Account Manager. Prior to working for Tommy Armour Golf, Mike was the General Manager of a daily fee public golf course in Charleston South Carolina for Jim Colbert Golf. Mike holds a BS in Finance and Marketing from Kansas State University and a MBA in Marketing from the University of Missouri Kansas City.

NICOLE DANEY

Nicole Daneyis a local business owner and entrepreneur. She began her career in college by opening an Alzheimer’s special care unit in California. Driven by her fierce desire to help others, Nicole merged her two passions—business and people—as she moved on to add marketing, administration, strategy, and sales to her toolbox. Nicole now owns a popular holistic health business and a well-established real estate appraisal company in Kansas City. She is also a partner in a London based strategic management company, Angel Share Capital. She has become a trusted source of information not just on property values in an unreliable market; she’s also amassed a loyal following who rely on her for her keen insight into the world of natural health and holistic healing. She has served as a Court Appointed Special Advocate guardian ad-litem for abused children, traveled to third-world countries to help underprivileged families with Habitat for Humanity, and participates in charitable race events several times each year.

GARY HENSON

Gary Henson is president and chief investment officer of Mariner Holdings, a national financial services company with two main subsidiaries – Mariner Wealth Advisors, a $14 billion wealth advisory firm, and Montage Investments, a $20 billion asset management firm. Mr. Henson has been instrumental in the growth of Mariner, helping to take it from 17 employees and $900 million in assets under management to its current level of 650 employees and $35 billion in assets under management with more than 20 offices nationwide.

Mr. Henson saw a philanthropic gap related to addiction and specifically opioid misuse. Mr. Henson started the Grow With Hope Foundation after his son, Garrett, passed away in 2015. Mr. Henson folded Grow With Hope into Shatterproof in order to achieve scale and accelerate both missions. He began serving on the Shatterproof board in 2016 and now serves as the liaison between Shatterproof and the 4Garrett Foundation.

Lori Gregory

Lori Gregory is an attorney/partner of Lewis Rice LLC in Kansas City, Missouri, practicing primary in the areas of estate planning and elderlaw. She is a member of the Kansas Bar Association and Missouri Bar Association and is President of the Kansas Chapter and a Board Member of the Missouri Chapter of the National Academy of Elder Law Attorneys. Lori is a past member of the Finance Department Advisory Board for the University of Missouri School of Business. Lori is originally from Kirksville, Missouri, but has made her home in the Kansas City area for almost 30 years. She has one son in college and is an active member of Heartland Community Church in Olathe.

Shatterproof

Shatterproof believes that together, we have the capacity to reduce the devastating impact of addiction on families across America. Together we can help parents prevent their children from developing an addiction to alcohol and other drugs and ensure that those afflicted with this disease gain access to proven and effective treatments and long-term recovery programs. Together we can reduce the stigma and secrecy associated with addiction, removing the shame felt by those struggling with this disease and their families.

Shatterproof works to educate, empower and equip parents, families, educators, health care providers, legislators, and others to address addiction head on. It is building a national organization to address serious gaps in funding and resources for the disease of addiction.

about 4garrett