Human Services Department

Pinellas County Human Services works with our partners to help County residents meet essential needs and increase their self-sufficiency through a range of community programs covering health, homelessness, consumer protection, veteran services, justice coordination services, financial assistance and more.

NCQA logo

PCHS along with DOH received recognition for systematic use of Patient-Centered, Coordinated Care Management processes by NCQA from 10/25/2019 to 10/25/2020

Quick Facts

FY25 Social Action Funding Grant Application is OPEN

All Applications must be submitted no later than 4:00 pm on Thursday, April 11, 2024.

Click here for the application and instructional guidelines. 

  • The first Mandatory Technical Assistance meeting was held on March 15, 2024, at 10 a.m.
  • The second Mandatory Technical Assistance meeting will be held on March 21, 2024, at 1 p.m. The link to join the meeting will be posted a half-hour prior to the start of the meeting. 

If you have any questions, please send an email to: acraft@pinellas.gov.

 

 

Juvenile Justice Citizens Academy 2024 is accepting applications.

Classes begin April 11 through May 30, 2024

Classes are held weekly (8 sessions) in a Hybrid format with some sessions held virtually and others in person.

For more information and to apply for the classes, click here.

The Juvenile Justice Citizens Academy (JJCA) is designed to provide members of the community with the opportunity to gain specific knowledge about the workings of the Pinellas County Juvenile Justice System.

Accomplishments

Human Services Grants Division

In FY23, the Grants Division reviewed 32 new grant opportunities and collaborated on development and submission of 12 applications with 10 new awards. Currently, managing 35 awards with a total project value of $21,348,451.84. For example:

The Bayside Clinic Expansion

  • Division facilitated the Initiation of Bayside Clinic Expansion Project
    • Anticipated completion June 30, 2024.
  • Led planning team on action items for existing service relocation, client outreach, and service engagement efforts to prepare for construction.
  • Coordinating ongoing expansion meetings to ensure all partners remain engaged during construction and to proactively address any issues as they arise in the project.

Aurora Grant Award – recently awarded $778,932 over 4 years to expand upon the Court’s Aurora Program to serve 135 individuals with identified history of trauma, often due to sexual abuse or human trafficking, to provide trauma informed treatment plans and improved outcomes for success.

Mobile Behavioral Health Van – The Division has pursued and received a new grant award, effective September 1, 2023, in the amount of $589,000 through the Department of Health and Human Services, Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) to acquire an additional mobile unit which will access to behavioral health by realigning existing service delivery to the mobile environment to better engage and meet homeless needs in the community.

Street Medicine Grant Implementation – The Division helped coordinate on acquisition of street medicine van and staffing through DoH Pinellas. The new van immediately went into service and has been serving residents starting in February 2023. This approach allows the Healthcare for the Homeless Program to expand access to care by bringing care where it is needed.

Human Services Contracts Division

Executed nearly 110 contracts, modifications, procurements, or amendments in FY23, and ended the year with over 120 items identified or in-progress. For example:

Opioid Abatement Funding Advisory Board

The Division convened regular meetings of the OAFAB and facilitated the development of the first iteration of the Pinellas County Opioid Abatement Priority List (“Priority List”). The OAFAB is tasked with reviewing opioid-related data, setting priorities for regional settlement funding, and after competitive solicitations administered by Pinellas County Human Services, recommending funding recipients and programs to the Pinellas County Board of County Commissioners. The Priority List is a requirement of the negotiated opioid litigation settlement, of which nearly $13M in funding has been received by the county in the first of 18 distributions.

City/County Opioid Abatement Funding

The Division established Assignments of Funds with Safety Harbor, Tarpon Springs, Oldsmar, and Largo to pool resources to support the expansion of the Pinellas MATTERS program to additional partnering hospitals. Additionally, developed an RFP for the procurement of additional Peer Support services.

Pinellas County Health Program Agreement with DOH

Drafted and routed a new interlocal agreement with the Department of Health to continue the provision of services under the Pinellas County Health Program and the Healthcare for the Homeless Program.  Funding in this Agreement enables DOH to provide Healthcare services for eligible and enrolled PCHP/HCH clients’ six (6) locations throughout the County as well as the MMU, the Street Medicine Van, and the Bayside Clinic.  Additionally, DOH manages and provides, through sub-contracted agreements, specialty care, behavioral health services, prescription assistance program and community dental services.

 

 

Human Services Behavioral Health
  • Initiated Drug Overdose Fatality Review Process of Pinellas County.
  • Incorporated a Transition Readiness Assessment for deep end behavioral health services (Mental Health Court, AOT, and PCET 2.0).
  • Led the development of an Acute Care Systems Dashboard which includes a systems view of baker act receiving facility data, PCSO MH unit data to aide in the discussion as a system around crisis/baker acts and the acute care system for behavioral health.

Pinellas Matters

  • Continued implementation of Pinellas MATTERS pilot at Bayfront Hospital. Working collaboratively with hospital partners, community-based partners and peer recovery services to solidify program. To date, the program has served over 450 individuals who were seeking care at the Bayfront ED and were screened for substance use and connected to various levels of care within the community.
  • Initiated kick off meeting with 2nd hospital site – HCA Northside. Site will be live in FY24.

Quick Response Team

  • Presented on Quick Response Teams to the Human Services Coalition with Operation PAR and Florida Gulf Coast Jewish Family Community Services.
  • Combined, the 2 QRTs in Pinellas County have connected with over 400 individuals to speak about recovery support services and treatment options for opioids, stimulants, and other substance use treatment needs.

 

News & Stories

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March 11, 2024

Social Action Funding Grant applications sought

The program provides funding to social service organizations directly supporting the health, economic and social wellbeing of Pinellas County residents.

March 19, 2024, 8:30 am | SVDP Center of Hope

Mobile Medical Unit – SVDP Center of Hope

The mobile unit is a medical office on wheels. It has provided basic care for more than 20 years. Pinellas County homeless…

Information & Resources

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What We Do 

Human Services facilitates access to critical supportive programs and services across Pinellas County. Through both direct administration of programs and coordination with a broad array of contracted partners, the department seeks to support services, capacity, and community solutions to promote health and stability.

Human Services strives to protect consumers, connect veterans to benefits and resources, expand justice system supports, reduce homelessness and housing instability, improve access to health and behavioral health resources, fight food instability, support local emergency response, and coordinate with local system partners for program development, service planning and continuous improvement.

Within the department, there are divisions that work collaboratively to fulfill the department’s role within the county.

  • Behavioral Health Data Scientist – conduct research into evidence-based practices, emerging practices, policy, and systems-oriented operations to guide collaborations with county-funded agencies and other funding or regulatory authorities to continuously inform and improve local service deliver models and programs.
  • Business Services – responsible for projects and grants accounting, grant billings, the production of financial statements, processing invoices for payment for suppliers and service providers, preparing the annual budget and similar activities.
  • Community Connections – one of three public facing divisions within The Human Services Department. The Division consists of three case management teams who facilitate eligibility and provide case management services to qualified low-income residents for the following programs:
    • Disability AdvocacyAssists eligible adult residents with applying for and securing social security benefits.
    • Family Housing Assistance Program (FHAP) helps families experiencing homelessness who have been referred by the Pinellas County Coordinated Entry System (CES) with financial assistance and case management services to secure and sustain housing.
    • Pinellas County Health Program (PCHP)/ Health Care for the Homeless (HCH)In partnership with the Florida Department of Health, the County Health program provides prevention-focused health care, mental health and substance use services, specialty care referrals, and case management services to qualified low-income residents.
  • Contracts Services – support the Human Services Department (HS) in prioritizing and maintaining effective, efficient, and sustainable contracted programs and services to meet community needs. For example:
  • Health Care Services – responsible for ensuring health programs are meeting the needs of residents and works in concert with the clinical provider of services, Department of Health Pinellas as well as behavioral health providers, and hospital partners.
    • Homeless Services – Human Services partners with multiple agencies to provide services and assist unhoused persons and those at risk of homelessness in our community.
    • Senior Services – help our senior residents find the resources and services they need.
    • Age Friendly Initiatives – provides a list of resources and services.
  • Program Services –work to enhance the Department’s impact across human services through grant program development, consumer-focused initiatives, justice service coordination, quality assurance, planning, and information support, as well as special projects that arise. Core service areas include:
    • Consumer Protection – works to reduce and prevent victimization of consumers while helping to ensure local businesses don’t engage in unfair, deceptive, or fraudulent business practices.
    • Grants Services – responsible for the identification, development, pursuit of new grant resources to further department goals, effective implementation of grant funded programs, as well as the ongoing administration and compliance of awarded grants.
    • Justice Coordination – works collaboratively with justice stakeholders and community providers to develop and implement programs that promote public safety and improve outcomes for justice-involved citizens in Pinellas County.
    • Planning and Quality Assurance – responsible for enhancing department and program planning, implementing the tools, information, and infrastructure to support department efforts, and developing processes to promote quality and improved program outcomes.
  • Veterans Services – assists veterans and their families access benefits provided by the State of Florida, the United States Department of Veterans Affairs and other government services.

Human Services Organizational Chart