ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — Pinellas County’s Care About Me program, launched nearly a year ago, has already made significant strides in offering mental health support to local residents, including students within the Pinellas County Schools system. With over 1,000 residents served so far, the program has provided assistance to about 200 students, helping them connect with essential mental health, substance abuse, and addiction services.
Streamlining Access to Mental Health Services
The Care About Me program serves as a vital resource for residents seeking help but who are not in immediate crisis. By connecting them with mental health professionals, the program streamlines access to various services and helps families navigate the mental health system, which can often be overwhelming.
Vicki Koller, Managing Officer of School Social Work Services for Pinellas County Schools, emphasized the impact of the program: “It is allowing us to help families learn to navigate and get their student mental health services, and really to provide a warm handoff.”
Koller, a social worker with 34 years of experience in the field, has been instrumental in the program’s success. She noted how challenging it can be to find appropriate resources for families and praised Care About Me for providing a valuable tool to bridge those gaps.
Building Awareness and Expanding Reach
The program has grown in popularity thanks to increased awareness and outreach efforts. Karen Yatchum, the Director of Pinellas County Human Services, highlighted the collaboration between Care About Me staff and local schools. Staff members have participated in school events to raise awareness, and training provided to school social workers has facilitated greater ease in referring students to mental health services. “I think the ease of use of the system has really helped with increased referrals from the schools,” Yatchum said.
While students can directly request assistance from the program, a parent’s consent is required for the services to proceed. Referrals have also come from parents, teachers, and school staff. Yatchum emphasized the importance of following up with families to ensure they are connected with the necessary services. “We’re able to circle back and say, ‘We connected with this youth. We connected with this family, and they’re connected to services.’ So, we’re really able to close that loop, and the schools didn’t have that before,” she said.
Promoting Early Intervention and Behavioral Health Normalization
A key focus of the Care About Me program is early intervention. By addressing mental health needs early on, the program aims to prevent issues from escalating and to support students in their academic and personal lives. Yatchum expressed the significance of integrating behavioral health into overall healthcare: “Behavioral health is part of health care. The more that we normalize it, the more that we encourage access when there is a need. I think it’s really important.”
The program aligns with this philosophy by ensuring students have access to necessary mental health resources as early as possible, ultimately fostering better long-term outcomes.
Growing Provider Network and Future Plans
Currently, the Care About Me program works with 14 providers, with plans to add two more in the near future to meet increasing demand. As the program continues to grow, it plays an essential role in ensuring that both students and their families have access to the mental health services they need, helping create a healthier and more supportive community.
