Page 22 - PGA Community News - December '23

Page 22, PGA C.A.N.! BW December 2023
December 2023
Dr. Shannon Fox-Levine Appointed As

Medical Director Of Center For Child Counseling

Ce nte r for Chi ld pediatricians are often overlooked when they are the ones pediatric practices. She currently serves on the AAP Payer
Counseling announces the who have been seeing kids and their families since the day Advocacy and Advisory Committee to improve payment to
appointment of Shannon they were born. There’s a gap between what pediatricians pediatricians to decrease the financial barrier to access to
Fox-Levine, M.D., as do and what community organizations and schools do. So, high quality care for all children. She was the president of
medical director. Dr. Fox- we are thrilled to have Fox-Levine to help further our work the Palm Beach Pediatric Society for ten years, organizing
Levine joins the Palm Beach within our community by advocating for the continuity continuing medical education for peers in the community.
County-based nonprofit at a of care. She will be the voice on behalf of pediatricians One of her proudest achievements is advocating for child
critical time as our nation’s and connect pediatric offices to the community resources safety by being one of six named pediatricians in the
youth face a mental health available to their patients and families,” said Layman. “Docs vs. Glocks” lawsuit against the State of Florida
crisis and there is a shortage About Shannon Fox-Levine, M.D. which found in the doctors’ favor in Federal Appellate
of professionals who can Dr. Fox-Levine is a pediatrician and the sole owner Court. With COVID-19, she was an active participant in
support their overall well- of Palm Beach Pediatrics, where she has worked for the state chapter and local school board discussions about
being. 20 years. She completed medical school at University returning children to school safely. She has been married
The current snapshot of Dr. Shannon Fox-Levine of Maryland at Baltimore and trained in pediatrics at for 22 years with two sons, 21 and 18. In her spare time,
Palm Beach County’s youth Bellevue/NYU Hospital. Her goal as a pediatrician is she enjoys cooking, traveling, and exercising.
mental health is alarming. In 2021, 41.5 percent of Palm to give the best comprehensive medical care to children About Center For Child Counseling
Beach County high school students reported that they felt while also being an advocate for them in the community. The Center for Child Counseling has been building
hopeless, and 20.7 percent of total high school students Integrating mental health care for children into primary the foundation for playful, healthful, and hopeful living
seriously contemplated suicide (PBC Youth Behavioral care is her special interest. She has worked with Center for children and families in Palm Beach County since
Health Survey). Today, one in four children suffer a mental for Child Counseling for ten years promoting trauma- 1999. Its services focus on preventing and healing the
health or behavioral concern. informed care and developed educational tools for effects of adverse experiences and toxic stress on children,
In 2022, the entire state of Florida had a total of 493 other primary care doctors to evaluate, manage, and promoting resiliency and healthy family, school, and
child and adolescent psychiatrists with 43 practicing in treat common mental health disorders in children and community relationships. www.centerforchildcounseling.
Palm Beach County – one psychiatrist per 6,553 children adolescents. She is on a school-based committee to org, Twitter: @ChildCounselPBC, Facebook: @
under the age of 18 in the county (American Academy of address the increase in Baker Acts during the pandemic. CenterforChildCounseling, Instagram: @childcounselpbc.
Child and Adolescent Psychiatry). She also has an interest in the business of medicine and Interviews Available With
According to Renée Layman, CEO of the center, “We enjoys managing the practice. She has been an advocate • Dr. Shannon Fox-Levine, Newly appointed medical
are thrilled to enhance our collaboration with Fox-Levine for pediatricians to improve payment for services in director of Center for Child Counseling; president and
and further tackle system issues, advocate for children, Florida as the past chair of the Florida Pediatric Council, pediatrician at Palm Beach Pediatrics
and create action to improve the mental health and access most notably negotiating a grant from a major health • Renée Layman, president and chief executive officer
to quality care for the children in our community.” plan to subsidize consultation hours for patient centered of Center for Child Counseling
The creation of the medical director position is a medical home recognition for independently owned
continuation of the partnership the center has been
building with Fox-Levine and her pediatric office, Palm
Beach Pediatrics, for more than a decade. In addition to Advertise, Send Articles. Check out our website!
Center for Child Counseling integrating its services within
Palm Beach Pediatrics to deliver an array of prevention,
early intervention, and mental health services within www.seabreezepublications.com or call 746-3244
the primary care setting, Fox-Levine will now expand
early intervention and prevention methods within the
community and advocate for change within the systems.
“One of my long-term goals has been to bridge the gap
issues between therapists and the county’s pediatricians. Financial Focus ®
in the continuity of care of children with mental health
With this new role, I am excited to turn this dream into a
reality and improve the mental health care for all children Can You Make Charitable possibility is a donor-advised fund, which allows you to
in Palm Beach County,” stated Fox-Levine. make an irrevocable charitable contribution and receive
According to the American Academy of Pediatrics, Giving Less “Taxing”? an immediate tax deduction. You can give cash, but if
“Pediatric clinicians are on the front lines of caring for you donate appreciated assets, such as stocks, your tax
children and adolescents and, thus, have the greatest By Sally Sima Stahl deduction would be the fair market value of the assets,
potential for early identification of and response to Once again, it’s the up to 30 percent of your adjusted gross income. Plus, you
childhood trauma. Data indicate that, although pediatric season of generosity. In would not incur the capital gains tax that would otherwise
providers intuitively understand the negative effects addition to considering be due upon the sale of these assets. Once you establish
a donor-advised fund, you have the flexibility to make
of trauma, they report a lack of knowledge, time, and gifts for your loved ones, charitable gifts over time, and you can contribute to the
resources as major barriers to providing trauma-informed you might want to think fund as often as you like.
about charitable gifts as
care. Yet, experts believe that the complete assessment well. But what should you Another possible tax benefit from making charitable
of child and adolescent behavioral, developmental, know before making gifts contributions could arrive when you start taking required
emotional, and physical health requires consideration of to charities? And what minimum distributions, or RMDs, from some of your
trauma as part of the differential diagnosis to improve impact might these gifts retirement accounts, such as your traditional IRA and
diagnostic accuracy and appropriateness of care.” have on your financial and 401(k). These RMDs could be sizable – and distributions
As medical director, Fox-Levine’s scope of services tax situation? are counted as taxable income. But by taking what’s
will include: developing a collaborative model of care First, you may want to create a gift budget by deciding called a qualified charitable distribution (QCD), you can
between primary pediatrics and mental health in the just how much you will give to charitable organizations move money from a traditional or Roth IRA to a qualified
community; developing and presenting trainings and over the rest of the year. charitable organization, possibly satisfying your RMD,
workshops on psychopharmacology, pediatric medical Next, look closely at the groups to whom you wish which then may be excluded from your taxable income.
to contribute. You can find many reputable charities, but You must start taking RMDs at 73 but you can begin
conditions, adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) some others may be less worthy of your support. One of making QCDs of up to $100,000 per year as early as age
and trauma, and other topics to enhance professional the red flags of a questionable organization is the amount 70½. (This amount will be indexed for inflation after 2023.)
knowledge; mental health diagnoses consultation and of money it spends on administrative costs versus the Establishing a donor-advised fund and making qualified
follow-up care coordination; and providing oversight amount that goes to its stated purpose. You can check on charitable distributions are significant moves, so you’ll
of medical students to develop a formal internship the spending patterns of charitable groups, and find other need to consult with your tax advisor first. But if they’re
experience within the center. valuable information about them, on the well-regarded appropriate for your situation, they may help you expand
Layman and Fox-Levine agree there is no lack of Charity Navigator website (charitynavigator.org). your ability to support the charitable groups whose work
resources available to children and families in Palm Beach Once you’ve established a gift budget and are you admire.
County; the lack of communication about the resources comfortable with the groups you choose to support, you This article was written by Edward Jones for use by
is where the barrier exists. might turn your thoughts to another key issue connected your local Edward Jones Financial Advisor, Edward Jones,
“When conversations happen in the community, with charitable giving: tax benefits. A few years ago, Member SIPC.
changes in the tax laws resulted in a large increase in the Edward Jones is a licensed insurance producer in
John Deloach standard deduction, which meant that many taxpayers all states and Washington, D.C., through Edward D.
found it more favorable not to itemize – and lost the Jones & Co., L.P., and in California, New Mexico and
Experienced Driver ability to take charitable deductions. But if you still do Massachusetts through Edward Jones Insurance Agency
itemize, your charitable gifts or contributions to tax-exempt of California, L.L.C.; Edward Jones Insurance Agency of
For your errands and airport transportation groups – those that qualify as 501(c)(3) organizations – can New Mexico, L.L.C.; and Edward Jones Insurance Agency
generally be deducted, up to 60 percent of your adjusted of Massachusetts, L.L.C.
Ride in my Lincoln gross income, although lower limits may apply, depending Edward Jones, its employees and financial advisors
on the nature of your gift and the organization to which cannot provide tax advice. You should consult your
Continental you’re contributing. qualified tax advisor regarding your situation.
References available Other, more long-term avenues also exist that combine Contact us at (561) 748-7600, Sally Sima Stahl, AAMS,
upon request charitable giving with potential tax benefits. One such 1851 W. Indiantown Road, Ste. 106, Jupiter, FL 33458.
Please call (561) 310-1063 Paid Advertisement