Tampa Bay Thrives

Tbt includes local leaders in the greater Tampa Bay area who understand the importance of improving the quality and access to mental health and substance abuse resources. That's why we have joined forces to help heal, and provide the best possible resources for those living with these conditions. We're working together to eliminate barriers that make it difficult to find and access resources for mental wellness and substance use. Together, we're determined to ensure that each of us has a chance to live a life filled with mental wellness. (continued on schedule o).let's talk:let's talk (844-you-okay) is a warm navigation support line available for residents of Tampa Bay who need someone to talk to. It provides a compassionate space for individuals to share their thoughts and feelings and receive emotional support. Clinically trained counselors can connect residents with local mental health providers for appointments, in-person and virtual, and assist in recommending pathways to care while taking into account callers' needs and insurance. Let's talk has served over 5,000 individuals since it launched in 2021 averaging 190 calls per month. Behavioral health immediate care:an expansion of the let's talk line , bhic offers immediate appointments (within 1-2 days) for callers who would like to meet with a provider promptly. The expanded support services also include short-term telehealth bridge counselling for individuals facing long wait times for their first appointment. This program has assisted almost 600 individuals in getting short-term care and supports since it launched in 2022. #iykyk:an awareness and anti-stigma campaign that amplifies the narratives of Tampa Bay residents on mental health journeys or in support roles, fostering conversation and destigmatization around seeking mental health care.. The campaign is called "if you know, you know" (iykyk), building upon the social media hashtag that speaks to those who have shared lived experiences. Since launching in may of 2023, the campaign has been shared over 500 times organically across social media and has reached an audience of over 1.2 million people within Tampa Bay. Youth programs:supporting youth through systemic, place-based partnerships and events that bring tools, resources, and services to support the mental health of middle- and high-school aged youth, Tampa Bay Thrives has built in-school wellness spaces, developed programmatic frameworks for connecting services in that space, and provided engaging content and toolkits that can be used in youth-lead environments. Through our work in 2023, Tampa Bay Thrives engaged over 1,000 individuals including youth, parents, teachers, and providers to support youth mental health in the Tampa Bay community. Research:conduct original research, including the annual "resident mental health report and individual studies, such as "youth mental health in hillsborough county", "understanding mental health perceptions: an evaluation of the Tampa region", and "using behavioral science to increase mental health access in Tampa Bay" to and provide data around mental health topics to inform solutions design. In 2023, Tampa Bay Thrives completed 4 unique research reports. Bhwftf:beginning with a convening of key partners in 2022, the behavioral health work force task force is a multi-sector working group developing a strategic plan for strengthening the behavioral health workforce regionally. The current research phase is a sector study that will provide a measure of the current workforce, identify future gaps, and propose targeted solutions to help close that gap. Along with the task force, Tampa Bay Thrives has hosted 3 webinars and an in person convening engaging almost 300 individuals with our work focused on the behavioral health workforce.