Effectively Transforming Care

Our community has come together to transform the mental health system for youth and young adults. Together, we will ensure that our youth and their families receive the support they deserve.

Mission

Create a system of accessible, integrated and trauma-informed services and family supports that help Sarasota children and youth thrive.

Key Recommendations

Charles & Margery Barancik Foundation and Gulf Coast Community Foundation commissioned the University of South Florida to conduct a research scan of mental health services in Sarasota County for young people up to age 24. After meeting with key community stakeholders, recommendations were made to effectively transform the system of care.

STRENGTHEN THE SYSTEM OF CARE

• Create an interagency governance structure, such as the Behavioral Health Stakeholders Consortium, to lead a unified system of care.

• Assess for trauma and provide care that promotes healing and avoids re-traumatizing.

• Invest in universal prevention that promotes wellness and prioritize early intervention.

SUPPORT FAMILIES

• Establish coordinated entry points for families to access appropriate treatment.

• Support families in navigating care, especially those with high need youth.

EDUCATE AND ADVOCATE

• Eliminate the stigma associated with receiving mental healthcare.

• Advocate for a dedicated funding source for children’s health.

• Attract and retain high quality health care providers and equip all service providers with appropriate training.

History

Spearheaded by Charles & Margery Barancik Foundation and Gulf Coast Community Foundation, public and private stakeholders across the Sarasota region are engaging in the hard work of turning data and research into a unified system of care.

For years, local foundations, nonprofit organizations and government agencies met on important community issues—from homelessness to early education and health care. Yet one common thread ran through them all: Sarasota lacked a coordinated system of mental health care for youth and young adults.

In 2018, Charles & Margery Barancik Foundation and Gulf Coast Community Foundation commissioned the University of South Florida to conduct a research scan of mental health services in Sarasota County for young people up to age 24. The goal was to identify strengths and gaps in the system and prioritize ways to make the system work for youth and families.

Informed by the findings, stakeholders across our community—including behavioral health providers, youth-serving agencies, philanthropic funders, and many others—are working together to prioritize recommendations and implement an action plan.