Pasco County Connect & Protect: Law Enforcement Behavioral Health Responses Program

Pasco County is located in central Florida approximately 30 miles north of Tampa and 50 miles west of Orlando, and is the twelfth most populated county in Florida with an estimated 580,000 residents. Pasco, like many counties across the United States, is suffering from the opioid and mental health epidemic. The Pasco Sheriff’s Office will serve as the implementing agency for this requested program aiming to utilize the funding to develop an innovative program in which the requested contracted Intervention Specialist positions embedded in the County dispatch center. This would allow initial engagement with individuals in crisis to allow for de-escalation and crisis intervention. These individuals would then receive follow case management services from the requested Case Manager position. It is the intention of the PSO to execute a contractual agreement/Memorandum of Understanding with the Crisis Center of Tampa for the requested Intervention Specialist positions. This program is an enhancement to the existing programs of the PSO Behavioral Health Intervention Team in partnership with BayCare Behavioral Health and will utilize the existing referral to services. The PSO is committed to the development, implementation and success of this program, which is demonstrated by the ability to meet the match requirements. The Pasco Sheriff’s Office is dedicated to supporting Department of Justice priorities by presenting a projecting that will provide service referral and follow up engagement to support services thus substantially supporting efforts to build trust between law enforcement and the community.