PINELLAS COUNTY, Fla. — A newly launched program in Pinellas County is helping those in need of mental health, behavioral health, and addiction treatment find providers and make appointments.
The program, which launched on Tuesday, is called "Care About Me."
For those who have tracked down providers who are in-network with their insurance, accepting new patients, and with openings that match their schedule, it can be an overwhelming process to navigate.
"That can be difficult in itself because of money, or insurance or lack of money or lack of insurance," Chelle Sparrowhawk shared. "There are resources in this county for, you know, for no money, no insurance, they can get help."
Sparrowhawk is the CEO of Sacred Space Recovery, a women's sober living home in St. Pete. She is in recovery from addiction and knows firsthand how taking care of yourself is a bigger task when you're in a low place.
"The emotions are just the most extreme emotions a human being can experience, you know, the whole gamut of, you know, shame and guilt, and, you know, suicidal, all sorts of stuff comes with it," she shared.
"Care About Me" is a landing place to connect you to the help you need.
"The goal is to deliver streamlined access to behavioral health care," Karen Yatchum, the Pinellas County Human Services Director, explained.
When you call, text, or email "Care About Me," you're speaking directly to a care specialist. On that call, you can book an appointment directly with a provider. And those specialists will follow up with you to make sure you've gotten the help you need.
"They follow up with the resident to find out how it went. You know, were they pleased with the appointment? And then they also do follow-ups with the provider to make sure that the information that was sent was adequate," Yatchum said.
For those who have navigated this process alone, they'll tell you, it's so much easier with help.
"It's gonna be life-saving, it's going to be huge," Sparrowhawk said. "That's a game changer."
The county soft-launched the program in February. Since then, 201 people have called in and were helped in scheduling an appointment with a provider.
The program costs the county just over $1 million a year.
Malique Rankin is a general assignment reporter with 10 Tampa Bay. You can email her story ideas at mrankin@10tampabay.com and follow her Facebook, X, and Instagram pages.