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TAMPA, Fla.-The Central Florida Behavioral Health Network convenes Pasco and Hillsborough counties’ school districts to coordinate mental health services for children and families within the school districts. 

Coordinating mental health services within schools is key to giving behavioral health experts the access they need to support children and their families with mental health services, while taking mental health services off of teachers’ plates. This model could serve as a model for the State of Florida. 

“The partnership with Central Florida Behavioral Health Network has been invaluable to Hillsborough County Public Schools. Thousands of students and families have received mental health support and the impact has been felt across schools and the community. We have been able to establish therapists at over 100 schools across the district and coordinate mental health services for students in the most appropriate setting. We continue to work with Central Florida Behavioral Health Network to create innovative ways to provide interventions in a timely and cost-effective way to individuals, seeking to break down barriers to treatment while reducing the stigma surrounding mental health,” said Hillsborough County Public Schools Interim Superintendent Van Ayres.

“Today we have 22 providers coordinating behavioral health systems of care in Pasco and Hillsborough schools, providing much-needed services to children and their families. Our providers work with children to maximize their potential in schools, so schools can focus on teaching, not addressing mental health issues,” said Central Florida Behavioral Health Network CEO Alan Davidson.

The Central Florida Behavioral Health Network is one of the state’s seven Behavioral Health Managing Entities. Florida’s local Managing Entities work with a network of over 300 behavioral health care providers who deliver services to over 300,000 of Florida’s most vulnerable residents, including children, expectant mothers, veterans, and the chronically homeless. Additionally, the system provides nearly 1.7 million Floridians with preventative services and reaches hundreds of thousands more through indirect preventative services, such as education initiatives.

Providers meet patients’ diverse needs with “wraparound services” that not only address mental health issues and substance abuse, but also assist with housing, transportation, and employment. Community boards administer, manage, and ensure accountability of state and federal funds for behavioral health services, keeping oversight and accountability closest to the people they serve.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

TAMPA, Fla. – After the catastrophic devastation caused by Hurricane Ian in southwest Florida, Central Florida Behavioral Health Network has opened a behavioral health Recovery Operations Center (ROC) to help their behavioral health care providers in the affected areas resume operations and restore behavioral health services as quickly as possible. 

“Hurricane Ian has caused heartbreaking and unimaginable devastation,” said CFBHN CEO Linda McKinnon. “In this difficult time, it is critical that individuals are able to receive the behavioral health care services they rely on to lead healthy lives, which is why we are working tirelessly to support our providers so they can service those who need them most.”

The behavioral health ROC is currently operating on a priority plan which includes:

• Restoring behavioral health care services, such as Crisis Stabilization and Detox Units, mobile response units, and the 988 and 211 crisis hotlines;

• Assessing and reporting network capacity, including staffing, facilities, communications, and other logistics;

• Responding to recovery center mission requests; and

• Restoring medicine distribution. 

Central Florida Behavioral Health Network is one of Florida’s seven managing entities that oversees behavioral health providers who serve uninsured Floridians. The ROC is assisting all counties within its network with a priority focus on: Manatee, Sarasota, Charlotte, Lee, and Collier counties. 

It is important to note that the behavioral health ROC is not for the general population, it is a center focused on supporting providers so they can resume services to ensure access to behavioral health services for those impacted by Hurricane Ian.

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About Central Florida Behavioral Health Network
Central Florida Behavioral Health Network (CFBHN) is one of seven Managing Entities of the Florida Association of Managing Entities, a not-for-profit 501 (c) (3) corporation, and a Commission on Accreditation of Rehabilitation Facilities International Accredited Services Management Network organization. CFBHN contracts with community service organizations to provide a full array of publicly funded mental health and substance abuse services in the SunCoast counties of Charlotte, Collier, Desoto, Glades, Hardee, Hendry, Highlands, Hillsborough, Lee, Manatee, Pasco, Pinellas, Polk, and Sarasota. Services include acute care, residential treatment, housing, medical, outpatient, recovery support, and prevention.

Farm Share, Florida’s largest food bank, and Florida’s seven Managing Entities are partnering to provide information to Farm Share’s food recipients about how they can access needed behavioral health services. Numerous studies have made it clear that food insecurity is linked to increased rates of depression and anxiety.

Through this innovative partnership, the organizations will provide informational cards in the bags of food distributed by Farm Share. The cards will feature contacts for local behavioral health Managing Entities, enabling recipients to easily connect with mental health and substance use disorder providers – regardless of whether they have health insurance.

“Florida’s seven Managing Entities oversee our state’s indispensable behavioral health safety net system, and our goal is to make sure every Floridian who needs mental health or substance use disorder treatment knows what resources are available,” said Natalie Kelly, CEO of the Florida Association of Managing Entities. “We’re grateful to Farm Share for its collaboration on helping spread the word about these vital services.”

Added Farm Share CEO Stephen Shelley, “Farm Share is here to support all Floridians, and we recognize that many individuals who are facing food insecurity are also facing increased stress, anxiety, and other challenges. This partnership with Florida’s Managing Entities is a natural fit as we can help Floridians beyond their food insecurity and help connect them with resources that can get them back on their feet.”

The managing entities work with a network of over 300 behavioral health care providers who deliver services to over 300,000 of Florida’s most vulnerable residents, including children, expectant mothers, veterans, and the chronically homeless.

Providers help meet patients’ diverse needs with “wraparound services” that not only address mental health issues and substance abuse, but also assist with housing, transportation, and employment. Community boards administer, manage, and ensure accountability of state and federal funds for behavioral health services, keeping oversight and accountability closest to the people they serve.

About the Florida Association of Managing Entities
The Florida Association of Managing Entities (FAME) is the statewide organization representing Florida’s seven Managing Entities. FAME’s mission is to advance the behavioral health recovery of individuals and their families in the state of Florida. For more information, visit FLManagingEntities.com.

About Farm Share
With more than 3.9 million families suffering from food insecurity throughout Florida, Farm Share meets the everyday hunger needs of Floridians by working hand in hand with local farmers to recover and redistribute produce that would otherwise be thrown away due to aesthetic imperfections.

Farm Share currently serves all 67 counties in Florida. Since its inception, Farm Share has distributed more than 751 million pounds of food, with a value of more than $1.9 billion. In 2020 alone, Farm Share distributed more than 104 million pounds of food and served more than 86 million meals to Floridians. For more information about Farm Share, visit FarmShare.org.