The Brevard C.A.R.E.S. board of directors give selflessly of their time and resources to support our programs and services and ensure that we fulfill our mission, while promoting the benefits of our system of care throughout the community.
The Board of Directors meet on the first Wednesday of every month at 10:00AM at the Brevard C.A.R.E.S. office, located at 4085 S. US Hwy. 1, in Rockledge. For more information, contact us at (321) 632-2737.
Dr. Patricia Nellius
CEO, Brevard Family Partnership
Chairman of the Board
(321) 752-4650 ext. 2002 Email: Patricia.Nellius@brevardfp.org
Dr. Nellius has been the CEO of Brevard Family Partnership since its inception in 2004. She relocated to Brevard County Florida to provide executive leadership to spearhead the non-profit agency selected to privatize child welfare while transitioning child welfare services in the statutorily mandated, six-month timeframe.
Patricia holds a Doctorate in Counseling and has served in the human service sector for over 25 years. Out of her deep desire to make a more global impact she has worked her way from the field up to administration.
Throughout her career, Patricia has worked with virtually every child and family serving agency, including: the Departments of Juvenile Justice, Developmental Disabilities, Education, Child Welfare, Substance Abuse and Mental Health, and Medicaid. She is an Intensively Trained DBT Therapist and has served as the National Director of Professional Development & Training with a National Faith Based Organization. She travels nationwide as a consultant and speaker, providing technical assistance to federal, state and county governments, and non-profit agencies.
Patricia recently received the “Distinguished Service” Award from the Florida Coalition for Children for her local, state, and national System of Care efforts. She was selected as the “Administrator of the Year” in 2007, and received commendation from Governor Bush for assisting the state of Florida obtain its’ 1st Child Welfare IV-E Waiver. Patricia played a key role under Secretary Lucy Hadi in the development of Florida’s Center for the Advancement of Child Welfare Practice, and currently serves on Governor Crist’s Child Abuse Prevention and Permanency Advisory Council. Patricia was named one of the most influential business leaders by Space Coast Business Magazine and was the recipient of the “Child Abuse Prevention Leadership” award in 2008.
Patricia is passionate about wraparound and systems of care and holds the motto, “To the world you may only be one person, but to one person, you may be the world.”
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Deborah A. Davidson-Cook
Chief Compliance & Utilization Officer, Brevard Family Partnership
(321) 752-4650 ext. 2064 Email: Debbie.Davidson-cook@brevardfp.org
Deborah is currently serving as the Chief Compliance & Utilization Officer for Brevard Family Partnership. In this role, she oversees BFP’s Contract Department, Utilization Review staff, Certified Behavioral Analyst, Client Relations, and WRAP/Utilization Division. Deborah came to the agency in September 2007, relocating from Indianapolis.
She holds a Master’s Degree in Rehabilitation Counseling from Kent State University and has served over thirty five years working with state and non-profit agencies serving both children and adults with disabilities. Since 1982, Deborah served in many leadership roles for Noble of Indiana, a non-profit organization providing services to over 1,500 children and adults with developmental disabilities and their families. In addition to overseeing and managing several large departments, Deborah initiated and integrated many innovative practices such as Person Centered Planning and Positive Behavioral Support practices into the Day Services Programs for adults with developmental disabilities.
Deborah also played a key role in five Commissions on Accreditation for Rehabilitation Facilities (CARF) accreditation site visits. In her role as Chief Compliance & Utilization Officer, Deborah lead Brevard Family Partnership through the Council on Accreditation self-study and site visit on June 29-30, 2009. The Council evaluated Brevard Family Partnership against rigorous national standards resulting in BFP achieving the coveted COA Accreditation as an outstanding agency.
Dr. Robert Cross
Community Member
Dr. Cross received his PhD from Florida Institute of Technology’s Department of Psychology and also holds a MSW degree in Clinical Social Work from Florida State University. He received a certificate in Psychotherapy through a three-year advanced training program at the Adler School of Professional Psychology in Chicago.
Prior to moving to Florida, Dr. Cross was vice president of L.A. Weiss Memorial Hospital, a University of Chicago affiliated hospital. As a corporate officer, he was administratively responsible for a variety of professional departments. He also was credentialed in the department of psychiatry and was responsible for the crisis intervention program. During this time he maintained a private practice for adults and adolescents with a broad spectrum of mental health issues.
Returning to Florida he continues his professional activities, serving as a volunteer in a number of community agencies, including serving on the board of We Care, a suicide hotline, and the bioethics committee of Holmes Regional Hospital. He teaches and lectures on suicide assessment and attachment behavior to a variety of mental health agencies.
