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Mental Health & Substance Use Program Highlights

The following program represent a sample of mental health and substance use programs that the Pinellas County Human Services Department has implemented through grant funding to continue to pilot, implement and advance mental health and substance use resources in the community.

Assisted Outpatient treatment

The County partners with crisis stabilization units, a behavioral health treatment provider Directions for Living, the Public Defender’s office, 6th Judicial Court, University of South Florida, and the Florida Department of Health to provide court-ordered mental health treatment services to individuals with a diagnosis of SMI, who have been Baker Acted and have failed to follow up voluntarily with outpatient services. By assisting clients with discharge planning following assessment and evaluation the County will provide a stable foundation to receive treatment for the client’s mental health disorders.  This program is funded by the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services, Substance Abuse Mental Health Services Administration, Grant Award # H79SM063549.

Mental Health Court

This project aims to address the frequent jailing of Pinellas residents with serious mental health disorders by diverting them away from the criminal justice system and into community-based treatment and support services through a designated Mental Health Court.  This new initiative is funded in part by a grant from the U.S. Department of Justice, Bureau of Justice Assistance, Grant Award # 15PBJA-21-GG-03979-MENT.

First Responders-Comprehensive Addiction and Recovery Act

Pinellas County’s FR-CARA Project is a partnership between Emergency Medical Services (EMS) and Human Services (HS) to enhance the current first responder’s Naloxone program throughout Pinellas County by creating additional training opportunities, increasing community access to a drug or device for opioid reversal, and by increasing connections and engagements in community substance use treatment services. This program is funded by the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services, Substance Abuse Mental Health Services Administration, Grant Award # 5H79TI084551.

Quick Response Team

The U.S. Department of Justice, Bureau of Justice Assistance awarded Pinellas County with a grant under the Comprehensive Opioid, Stimulant, and Substance Abuse Site-Based Program (COSSAP) (Grant Award # 2020-AR-BX-0055) where a collaboration between Pinellas County Human Services, Safety & Emergency Services, and Operation PAR to enhance the current overdose response by:

  • Increasing connections and engagements in community substance use treatment services;
  • Providing peer support to overdose survivors and families. 

The Quick Response Team through Operation PAR responds to individuals who authorize EMS to share their information for follow-up after a suspected overdose.  The team responds to the individual within 72 hours to engage the person’s interest in follow-up treatment options.

Complex Case Reintegration Program

The Complex Case Reintegration program is designed to provide a bridge for clients exiting jail who suffer from substance use disorder or co-occurring substance use and mental health disorders through initial engagement with appropriate in-reach and outreach efforts, intensive case management, improved substance abuse and mental health service access, and connections to community-based resources for improved stabilization.  Human Services partners in this program include Pinellas Ex-Offender & Re-Entry Coalition (PERC) and WestCare.  This program is funded by the State of Florida, Department of Children and Families, Criminal Justice Mental Health and Substance Abuse Reinvestment Grant, Contract #LH834.