PASCO COUNTY, Fla. – Pasco County is teaming up with researchers from the University of South Florida to figure out exactly where the local mental health and addiction support system is failing residents. The Pasco County Opioid Task Force (OTF) and USF’s Department of Behavioral Health Science and Practice have officially launched a “Behavioral Health System Capacity and Gap Analysis Study” to map out available services and identify the hurdles that keep people from getting help.
The goal isn’t just to look at spreadsheets, but to hear from the people on the front lines. To do that, USF is leading three public listening sessions across the county.
These meetings are designed to pull “real-world insight” from healthcare providers, local partners, and community members who deal with these gaps every day. According to the task force, the feedback gathered during these sessions will be the foundation for building a “more responsive, coordinated and effective” system moving forward.
If you want to weigh in on how these services should be shaped, you can attend any of the following scheduled sessions:
The first meeting takes place on Tuesday, March 24, from 3 p.m. to 5 p.m. at the Pasco County Utilities Administration Building, located in the Cotee Room at 19420 Central Blvd. in Land O’ Lakes.
A second session is scheduled for Tuesday, March 31, from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. at Zephyrhills City Hall in the Council Chambers on the second floor of 5335 8th St.
The final listening session will be held on Thursday, April 2, from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. at the Starkey Ranch Theatre Library Cultural Center in the Egret Room, located at 12118 Lake Blanche Dr. in Odessa.
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