Regional Behavioral Health Interagency Collaboration
Overview
The Regional Behavioral Health Interagency Collaboration is a unified partnership that brings stakeholders together to address opportunities for improvement within Florida’s behavioral health system. Established to enhance local efforts, this initiative enhances accessibility, availability, and quality of services by fostering community partnerships, promoting cross-agency collaboration, improving the crisis care continuum, and advancing data collection and management processes.
History
In January 2024, The Commission on Mental Health and Substance Use Disorder (Commission) published the 2024 Annual Interim Commission Report. The Commission was originally created in 2021 and ratified by the Florida Legislature in 2023. The report evaluates mental health and substance use disorder services across the State of Florida, assesses the effectiveness of existing programs, identifies service delivery gaps, and reviews the adequacy of crisis response systems like the 988 Florida Lifeline. It also provides recommendations for policy and legislative improvements to enhance Florida’s behavioral health system.
On July 1, 2024, HB 7021 Bill Summary Analysis amended Section 394.90826 Florida Statutes, to support the Commission's recommendation to create an interagency collaboration to address ongoing opportunities at the regional level to put in practice at the local level.
Objectives
The objectives of the regional collaboratives are to facilitate enhanced interagency communication, promote collaboration, develop regional strategies tailored to address community-level opportunities, and enhance the provision of prevention, crisis intervention, and recovery support services. The regional collaboratives will foster and oversee the need for expansion of person-centered behavioral health services, identify and address opportunities to improve the accessibility, availability, and quality of behavioral health services, and identify gaps within each level of care to adjust and respond to various changes and needs of the communities served.
Additionally, the regional collaboratives are intended to further develop and promote the use of ongoing prevention strategies such as increasing access to resources, public awareness and education, community-based processes, and evidence-based practices. The regional collaboratives will also define and develop an effective continuum of care that includes care coordination, expanded residential options, adequate and effective statewide inventory of specialized therapeutic group care programs and options.
Regional Contact Information
Director of Regional Operations and Initiatives
Asta Trinh, MSW
(850) 509-9146
- Central Region
Alicia Parks
(407) 317-7494
- Northeast Region
Matt Sparling
(904) 485-9583
- Northwest Region
April Busby
(850) 401-6041
- Southeast Region
Valoria "Val" Thomas
(954) 453-3427
- Southern Region
Cristina Perez
(786) 257-5178
- SunCoast Region
Vacant
The Florida Department of Children and Families cordially invites all interested individuals to participate in the Regional Behavioral Health Interagency Collaboration meetings.
Your presence and input is greatly valued as we work together towards common goals.