Established in 2019, Tampa Bay Thrives (TBT) emerged as a collective response to the region’s pressing mental health and substance abuse challenges. Bringing together over 30 community leaders from various sectors across Hillsborough, Pasco, Pinellas, and Polk Counties, TBT focuses on devising strategic solutions to enhance behavioral health and improve the lives of those seeking help.
Over 30 community leaders came together to determine the best approach and the priorities for a regional effort to improve behavioral health.
• 2 day convening to establish TBT
• $5.5M raised to support operations
• Board and organization established
• Staff hired
• Workgroup meeting regularly, shifted to virtual in pandemic
• Developed program prototype
• Core organizational processes and procedures put in place
• Let’s Talk navigation line: build and launch
• Create communications and marketing approach
• Launch of BH Immediate Care access program, Let’s Talk growth
• Two community convenings – BH Workforce Task Force, Navigation
• Released two reports: Community MH pulse survey, Focus Group report
Tampa Bay Thrives centers on three key mission areas: navigation, care access, and stigma reduction. To address these complex challenges, we require extensive collaboration for broad-reaching solutions. With the urgent need, a joint effort is crucial to nurture community healing, surpassing individual actions
In April of 2022, Tampa Bay Thrives engaged Downs & St. Germain to survey the region to provide a baseline of the community’s perceptions, practices, and experiences related to mental health. The online survey was distributed for 10 days, reaching Hillsborough, Pasco, Pinellas, and Polk counties, yielding a total of 700 responses. Results were weighted by gender, age, and race to appropriately represent the population.
When asked if a person has, in the last 12 months, needed help for emotional or mental health problems or challenges such as feeling sad, low, anxious, or nervous, 46% responded “yes”.
When asked if a person has, in the last 12 months, needed help for emotional or mental health problems or challenges such as feeling sad, low, anxious, or nervous, 46% responded “yes”.
When asked if a person has, in the last 12 months, needed help for emotional or mental health problems or challenges such as feeling sad, low, anxious, or nervous, 46% responded “yes”.
“Our mental well-being touches all aspects of our lives, from our homes to our schools, workplaces and interpersonal relationships. We want people to know that there is help and there is hope. You are not alone.”
Carrie Zeisse
