THE CRISIS CENTER OF TAMPA BAY INC

TRANSCARE WAS ORIGINALLY ESTABLISHED TO PROVIDE BAKER ACT TRANSPORTS AS AN ALTERNATIVE TO TRANSPORTING INDIVIDUALS EXPERIENCING A BEHAVIORAL HEALTH CRISIS VIA LAW ENFORCEMENT. SERVICES EXPANDED TO INCLUDE 911 BASIC LIFE SUPPORT AND ADVANCED LIFE SUPPORT INTER-FACILITY TRANSPORTS TO LESSEN THE BURDEN ON OTHER 911 SERVICES THROUGHOUT OUR COMMUNITY. ADDITIONALLY, TRANSCARE RUNS A COMMUNITY PARAMEDICINE PROGRAM, WHERE PARAMEDICS PROVIDE MEDICALLY ASSISTED TREATMENT TO INDIVIDUALS STRUGGLING WITH SUBSTANCE ABUSE WHILE THEY WORK TO GET THEM SET-UP WITH ONGOING IN-PATIENT OR OUT-PATIENT SERVICES. (SEE SCHEDULE O).LAST YEAR, TRANSCARE PROVIDED BEHAVIORAL HEALTH TRANSPORTS TO 7,660 INDIVIDUALS, WITH AN ADDITIONAL 27,992 RECEIVING MEDICAL TRANSPORTATION FOR BASIC OR ADVANCED LIFE SUPPORT SERVICES. TRANSCARE STAFF CONTINUE TO GO ABOVE AND BEYOND WHEN PROVIDING PATIENT CARE THROUGHOUT OUR COMMUNITY. RECENTLY, OUR COMMUNITY PARAMEDICINE TEAM WORKED ALONGSIDE OUR RECOVERY NAVIGATION TEAM TO PROVIDE SUPPORT TO TYLER. TYLER'S GIRLFRIEND CALLED 988 SEEKING HELP FOR HIM. HE WAS STRUGGLING WITH A SEVERE FENTANYL ADDICTION AND NEEDED SUPPORT. THANKFULLY, THE INTERVENTION SPECIALIST WHO ANSWERED THE CALL WAS ABLE TO CONNECT THEM TO THE RECOVERY NAVIGATION TEAM IMMEDIATELY. TYLER HAD STRUGGLED WITH ADDICTION FOR YEARS AND WAS CURRENTLY ON PROBATION AND FACING PRISON TIME. HIS LAWYER WAS ABLE TO PETITION FOR TYLER TO AVOID JAIL TIME SINCE HE WAS WORKING TO GET INTO TREATMENT. THE PEER RECOVERY NAVIGATOR WHO CONNECTED WITH TYLER WAS ALSO ABLE TO TAP INTO THE CRISIS CENTER'S COMMUNITY PARAMEDICINE PROGRAM TO BEGIN PROVIDING MEDICALLY ASSISTED TREATMENT. TOGETHER, THEY WORKED TO GET TYLER ENROLLED IN OUTPATIENT SERVICES AT COVE BEHAVIORAL HEALTH WITHIN A FEW DAYS. WHEN MEETING AT HIS HOME TO DISCUSS AN ONGOING RECOVERY PLAN, TYLER EXPERIENCED AN EMOTIONAL CRISIS AND THE TEAM WAS ABLE TO PROVIDE PSYCHOLOGICAL FIRST AID TO DE-ESCALATE THE SITUATION. TYLER CONTINUED TO STRUGGLE FOR A FEW WEEKS BEFORE FINALLY COMMITTING TO HIS OUTPATIENT PROGRAM AND MEDICATION REGIMEN. TODAY, HE IS BACK IN SCHOOL, ATTENDING INTENSIVE OUTPATIENT GROUPS, AND IS OPTIMISTIC FOR HIS FUTURE.

THE GATEWAY CONTACT CENTER OFFERS A COLLABORATIVE APPROACH TO ADDRESSING COMMUNITY HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES ISSUES IN TAMPA BAY. THE GATEWAY INCLUDES THE 211 CALL CENTER, WHERE CLIENTS RECEIVE IMMEDIATE INFORMATION AND REFERRALS FOR SOCIAL SERVICES; THE 988 SUICIDE & CRISIS LIFELINE; THE STATEWIDE RAPE CRISIS HOTLINE; THE NCADI STATEWIDE SUBSTANCE MISUSE HOTLINE; THE STATEWIDE FLORIDA VETERANS SUPPORT LINE; AND THE FIRST RESPONDER HOPE LINE. STAFF ARE AVAILABLE 24/7 TO PROVIDE EMOTIONAL SUPPORT AND LINKAGES TO RESOURCES BOTH WITHIN THE CRISIS CENTER AND THROUGH COMMUNITY PARTNERS. (SEE SCHEDULE O).THE GATEWAY CONTACT CENTER ANSWERED 106,572 CALLS LAST YEAR. OVER 5,330 SUICIDE PREVENTION ASSESSMENTS WERE PROVIDED TO INDIVIDUALS WHO CALLED THE 988 SUICIDE & CRISIS LIFELINE. THE FLORIDA VETERANS SUPPORT LINE RESPONDED TO 14,051 REQUESTS FOR HELP FROM VETERANS AND THEIR LOVED ONES, AND PROVIDED ONGOING CARE COORDINATION TO 4,844 INDIVIDUALS.ONE INDIVIDUAL WHO WAS HELPED THROUGH THE CONTACT CENTER WAS JUSTIN. WHEN JUSTIN, A U.S. ARMY VETERAN, CALLED THE FLORIDA VETERAN SUPPORT LINE, HE WAS WORRIED AND OVERWHELMED. HIS BROTHER'S HEALTH HAD BEEN DECLINING, AND HE URGENTLY NEEDED HOME HEALTH SERVICES. HE REACHED OUT LOOKING FOR GUIDANCE BUT WASN'T EXPECTING MUCH SUPPORT. AN INTERVENTION SPECIALIST ANSWERED THE CALL AND REASSURED HIM THAT HIS CONCERNS WERE VALID AND OFFERED TO CONNECT JUSTIN WITH A VETERAN CARE COORDINATOR FOR FOLLOW-UP. WHEN THE VETERAN CARE COORDINATOR CALLED JUSTIN, THEY NOT ONLY IDENTIFIED PROGRAMS IN HIS AREA THAT COULD EVALUATE HIS BROTHER'S NEEDS AND PROVIDE THE NECESSARY MEDICAL DOCUMENTATION BUT ALSO REMAINED ON THE LINE TO SUPPORT HIM WHILE HE SCHEDULED THE APPOINTMENT. THE VERY NEXT DAY, THE CARE COORDINATOR FOLLOWED UP AGAIN TO CHECK ON PROGRESS. JUSTIN SHARED HOW RELIEVED AND GRATEFUL HE WAS.