Mental Health Grant Available For Pinellas Agencies

CLEARWATER, FL – Local organizations that help people with mental illness and substance abuse can receive a bit of help themselves courtesy of the Florida Department of Children and Families.

Pinellas County agencies that provide these services for juveniles and adults could be eligible for a state grant that will be administered through Pinellas County’s Public Safety Coordinating Council.

The Florida DCF is seeking applications for the Criminal Justice Mental Health and Substance Abuse Reinvestment Grant. Grant proposals must be submitted for review to the council by Friday, April 21 at 4 p.m.

One program will be selected by the Pinellas County Public Safety Coordinating Council to move forward. An application to the link from the Department of Children and Families can be found

The grant provides funding to counties to plan, implement or expand initiatives that increase public safety, avert increased spending on criminal and juvenile justice systems and improve access to effective treatment services for juveniles and adults with mental illness or substance abuse disorders.

Interested organizations must first submit a program summary April 21 at 4 p.m. to Deborah Berry, the operations manager at Pinellas County Justice Coordination at dberry@pinellascounty.org. All submissions should be followed up with a phone call to verify receipt to (727) 464-6485.

To be considered, grant proposals must meet the following criteria:

• Executive program summary that provides plan details and information about the organization
• Program title and lead organization with contact information
• Program abstract, description and related activities
• Number and population being served
• Expected outcomes
• List of partnering organizations and associated roles
• Program budget requested and statement of ability to comply with all the requirements of the grant, including match requirements for each of the three years
• Explain the organization’s grant-writing capacity to complete the full application by Wednesday, May 24 to allow one week for final review
• A representative from the organization must be present at the Public Safety Coordinating Council meeting on Thursday, April 27 at 11 a.m. The meeting will take place at the Pinellas County Justice Center, 14250 49th St. N., Clearwater, in the third floor judicial conference.

The Public Safety Coordinating Council’s mission is to create and execute effective public safety strategy to ensure availability and accountability of programs, sound and efficient justice system operations and necessary jail facilities.

The council is made up of members of local and state criminal justice agencies, social service organizations and other local leaders with a member of the Pinellas County Board of County Commissioners serving as chairman.

Image via Shutterstock