NEW LOCAL BUSINESS
The Ship Group offers behavioral health and community services. It is not a part of the arm of Social Services, but the organization works closely with them, according to Meredith Barnes Cain, Regional Office & Programs Supervisor, TSG Behavioral Health and Community Services. The Ship Group offers behavioral health and community services. It is not a part of the arm of Social Services, but the organization works closely with them, according to Cain.
“We work closely with the courts as well,” she said. “We do a lot of court-approved services like DWI and anger management and even sexual predator therapy. We have people on staff that will specialize in these areas. work closely with the courts as well,” she said. “We do a lot of court-approved services like DWI and anger management and even sexual predator therapy. We have people on staff that will specialize in these areas.”
ELIZABETHTOWN – Adding to the number of many people that have been born in Southeastern North Carolina, decided to make it their lifelong home and have decided to work here, there is The Ship Group’s Meredith Barnes Cain.
The mission is to promote mental wellness, emotional well-being, and social connectedness through evidence-based behavioral health services and community programs. The organization strives to remove barriers to care and create a welcoming environment where individuals from all walks of life feel respected, supported, and empowered on their journey to healing and personal growth.
“I’ve been living in Bladen County my whole life,” Cain said. “So did my parents. I went to East Bladen High School and graduated in 2004.”
She said that journalism was her favorite subject at EBHS and she worked for the school newspaper for four years. She had gone on to community college and has many credits, but has yet to earn her degree.
“My husband and I were married in 2012 and had a daughter,” she said. “My husband went to West Bladen and I went to East Bladen. We met when in high school and were friends for eight years before we ever dated. Our only problem now is the house decorated half in UNC blue and half in NCS red. I am planning to go back to school and get my bachelor’s degree in business administration for my current position specifically. I will be getting my degree from Liberty University.”
She attended Clarkton School of Discovery for middle school and she worked for their student news station and was the anchor for the show.
“That all served me and prepared me for the position that I am in now,” she said. “I am kind of the face of the company in this area as the Regional Office and Programs Supervisor. I am able to go out and talk to people and get information from people and network with people. All those skills I had honed from all those years in journalism has helped that.”
After high school, Cain began working in the financial industry.
“I started back in 2010 working with BB&T (Branch Banking & Trust),” she said. “I have worked in the financial industry until recently and I left because I needed a change. I felt like I was a part of the problem – working in banking. I saw grandmothers on Social Security pay all their bills and have like $60 to make it 20 days. And there was nothing I could do to help.”
Cain transitioned to Ship Group because she felt it was a way to actually help people in her community.
The Ship Group offers behavioral health and community services. It is not a part of the arm of Social Services, but the organization works closely with them, according to Cain.
“We work closely with the courts as well,” she said. “We do a lot of court-approved services like DWI and anger management and even sexual predator therapy. We have people on staff that will specialize in these areas. We are also sourcing people from this area right now to begin the work here to be certified counselors, therapists and peer support specialists. Those are the kinds of people we need to be able to work in the programs that we offer.”
The programs from this minority-owned business are secular based, but offer Christian counseling and provide everything from doing resumes to how to save money and everything in between including maintaining good mental health in a world that continues to push your buttons.
At TSG Behavioral Health and Community Services, they believe that addressing behavioral health goes beyond treating symptoms; it involves understanding the interconnections of mental, emotional and social well-being. Their approach integrates evidence-based practices with cultural competence, ensuring that our services are both effective and inclusive.
“Dr. Shipman actually started his career here in the justice system in Bladen County,” Cain said. “The business was started in Charlotte in 2022, so it’s still a fairly new company. They have been very successful in Charlotte. One of the things that I am in the process of is trying to get together a community closet for the area where I’m going to start taking donations of clothing.”
Shipman has family in Dublin and he has recognized a need for the communities in Bladen County, Robeson County, Sampson County and Columbus County.
“My first day here (and with Ship Group) was actually Oct. 13,” Cain said. “It’s just me here in the office and of course I have my team in Charlotte that I work with every day. I am kind of the face of the company here. I have a lot of ties to the community because I have lived here all of my life. A lot of those ties have led to me being able to get in front of other influential people in the community. I am currently in the process of conducting interviews to help build the team here in Bladen. We already do have clients in the area.”
Their team of licensed therapists, psychologists, and counselors will bring expertise in various areas, including anxiety, depression, trauma, addiction, relationships, and more. They offer individual, group, and family therapy sessions, tailoring treatment plans to meet the unique needs of each person.
“I am very excited,” Cain said. “I’m really passionate about it because like I said, I really believe I am helping people. I finally get to use the skills that I’ve gained throughout my life and I believe that the ties to the community will make a difference.”
For more information about The Ship Group’s services, you can contact Meredith Barnes Cain at 2816 West Broad Street, Elizabethtown, NC 28337. Phone: (980) 228-9699 ext. 1047.