Tampa Bay Thrives - 2023 Impact Report

2023

TAMPA BAY THRIVES

OUR MISSION

To mobilize the community to strengthen behavioral health outcomes for depression, anxiety, and substance use disorder, with a focus on improving early intervention, access, and awareness.

WHO WE ARE

Founded in 2019, we are a diverse, cross-sector coalition who are connected to mental health with deep commitment and support from local organizations and community leaders.

WE ENVISION AN EMOTIONALLY HEALTHY COMMUNITY WHERE MENTAL HEALTH IS A PRIORITY AND ALL THRIVE TOGETHER.

MENTAL HEALTH IN TAMPA BAY

More than 1 in 6 adults in the US has depression.*

More than 1 in 6 people in the US ages 12 and older has a substance use disorder.**

FL RANKS 42ND

in mental health workforce availability.***

13%

There are 191,000 (13.2%) Florida youth with at least 1 major depressive episode in the past year.****

67%

In the past year, 67% of Florida youth with major depressive episodes did not receive treatment.****

31%

Only 31% of Hillsborough County students indicated they feel a sense of belonging and that they are valued members of the school community.*****

MEET OUR BOARD MEMBERS

Chairman: John Couris

President & CEO, Tampa General Hospital

Secretary/Treasurer:

Suzanne McCormick

President & CEO, YMCA of the USA

Tracye Brown Chief of Student Support and Federal Programs, Hillsborough County Public Schools

Dr. Ulyee Choe

Director, FL Department of Health of Pinellas County

Carl Harness Chief Human Services Administrator, Hillsborough County

David Ottati President & CEO, AdventHealth West Florida Division

Jyric Sims

President & CEO, HCA Healthcare West Florida Division

Chief Barbara Tripp Chief, Tampa Fire and Rescue

Vice Chair: Chris Majeski SVP, Private Client Group, Raymond James

Marcia Andresen Director, Health and Human Services, Polk County Board of County Commissioners

Stephanie Conners President & CEO, BayCare Health System

Barbara Daire President & CEO, Suncoast Center, Inc.

Chris Nocco Sheriff, Pasco Sheriff’s Office

Kimberly Ramos Global Director of Benefits, The Mosaic Company

“We ALL face challenges and need help from time to time, and I make sure my team knows that seeking support for mental health issues is more than okay – it’s the right thing to do. I frequently share with them that there is nothing braver or more important than asking for help.”

JOHN COURIS

“As a society, it’s imperative that we challenge ourselves to get to a place where we openly talk about and support each other in mental health matters in the same way that we do with physical ailments.”

CHRIS MAJESKI

Daniel Slaughter Assistant City Manager, City of Clearwater

Lara White Managing Director, Corporate Relationship Manager Regions Bank

“Creating an environment where people feel comfortable talking about things that matter is the first step towards a culture where mental health issues are not stigmatized. It’s our role as leaders to be present and open to discussing hard topics and challenging issues.”

MARCIA ANDRESEN

A NOTE FROM OUR CEO

Dear supporter:

Thanks to the tremendous support from our founders and donors, Tampa Bay Thrives made significant progress over the past year in identifying root cause issues that are creating barriers for individuals needing help for their mental health. Instead of having to build a coalition to align with our work, we were given the gift of being founded by one already committed to working together. This allowed TBT to remain laser focused on systemic change and keep true to the spirit of innovation, learning, and nimble flexibility that is the hallmark of our approach. It has been a truly impactful year.

In 2023, as our projects matured, and we collected evaluation data, our working groups identified the potential to dig even deeper to unveil critical behavioral science issues that have challenged our assumptions about why individuals continue in mental health treatment. We focused on listening first, mapping human experience to the data collected in our research, and then quickly worked with community partners in targeted pilots, storytelling, and immersive experiences to test what this iterative change could achieve.

As a result of this approach, we launched our first major anti-stigma initiative, the “If you know, you know” (#IYKYK) campaign. The real-life stories of Tampa Bay residents highlighted a variety of mental health concerns from a diverse range of voices and reached hard to target audiences (like men) thanks to the authenticity of peers sharing with each other. The expansion of the Let’s Talk navigation support line into immediate care appointments created a path to clinical care for almost 2,000 residents and provided further insight into the deeply held fears that individuals have about getting into care. This insight will be used in the expansion of the #IYKYK campaign in 2024. And lastly, our work with school-age youth saw significant growth that included several events, an in-depth research report, and the design and build of an in-school wellness space in a title one middle school.

Tampa Bay Thrives remains committed to working in partnership with our community – from leaders to the individuals who live in the neighborhoods where piloted solutions are being launched – and sharing all that we learn so that all can build upon these insights. Our Board of Directors recently adopted a new vision statement stating that “We envision an emotionally healthy community where mental health is a priority and all thrive together”. Together, we can ensure a better tomorrow.

We thank you for your commitment and support in this important work.

With immense gratitude,

Carrie Zeisse President & CEO

Tampa Bay Thrives In January 2024, TBT President & CEO, Carrie Zeisse, was recognized as a Tampa Bay Lightning Community Hero.

TBT’S IMPACT AT A GLANCE

2,300+

Tampa Bay residents served by our Let’s Talk navigation support line in 2023.

425 residents received referrals to local immediate care providers via Let’s Talk in 2023.

1.2 MILLION people reached by our #IYKYK anti-stigma campaign via digital advertising.

85% satisfaction rate reported in post-surveys of the Let's Talk navigation support line.

9 LANDMARKS

and bridges lit up green for Mental Health Awareness Month in May of 2023.

5 ORGANIZATIONS

enrolled in our inaugural cohort for the Bell Seal Workplace Mental Health Certification impacting over 15,400 employees.

PLATINUM LEVEL

rating on GuideStar.

4

UNIQUE

research reports studying the state of mental health in Tampa Bay.

1,000+ individuals, youth, parents, teachers, and providers engaged to support children’s mental health.

BREAKING DOWN STIGMA

In Tampa Bay, nearly 7 in 10 residents experienced at least 1 poor mental health day during the past month. Despite this, stigma around mental health is still present.

Research indicates that storytelling and sharing personal experiences are some of the most powerful stigma combatants. The "If You Know, You Know" (#IYKYK) anti-stigma campaign builds upon the social media hashtag that speaks to those who have shared or lived experiences.

25+ stories of recovery from Tampa Bay residents.

23,000+ people reached organically via social media.

1.2 MILLION

additional people reached via paid advertising.

Uniquely, our #IYKYK campaign resonated best with men. Ad sets directed toward men outperformed the ad sets directed at women, with men ages 30-49 accounting for the largest portion of total impressions and clicks.

#IYKYK - STORIES FROM OUR COMMUNITY

Modern life feels like an endless parade of pressures from all directions. Therapy has been indispensable in helping me navigate it and has been the best investment I’ve ever made. By having someone who not only creates a safe space to open up and be authentic in, but who also holds you accountable, I’ve learned to rebuild my inner guide. Therapy has also helped me to see things from multiple perspectives and live to my fullest potential. Find a therapist that you vibe with, and enjoy the ride.

GREEN LIGHTS TO DRIVE AWARENESS

500+ shares across our social media platforms.

In May, the Tampa Bay area illuminated landmarks and bridges in green, the official color of Mental He Awareness Month. In collaboration with the City of Tampa, Florida Blue, and Hillsborough, Manatee, and County governments, 9 landmarks were lit up including the Sunshine Skyway Bridge and Curtis Hixon Park

Meet Ronny, one of our mental health ambassadors.

NAVIGATION & ACCESS

Tampa Bay residents rank "ready and easy access to high-quality resources and services" as one of the top two changes they would recommend to help mental health. Tampa Bay Thrives is working to meet this need with our Let's Talk support line and Immediate Care and Bridge Program.

LET’S TALK

Let’s Talk (844-YOU-OKAY) is a confidential navigation line supporting mental health concerns. Counselors offer coping techniques, referrals to local providers, and connections to peer support while taking into account callers’ needs and preferences as well as their insurance.

2,300+

Tampa Bay residents supported by Let’s Talk in 2023.

1,500+ referrals to mental health and substance use disorder providers since launch.

TOP CONCERNS

Depression and anxiety are consistently the top two concerns of callers.

KEY STATS FROM THE LET’S TALK SUPPORT LINE

The support line has an average call length of 15 minutes per call - higher than the national average.

Let’s Talk also has a high satisfaction rate (85%) reported in post-call surveys.

Let’s Talk had a higher answer rate (92.2%) and a lower percentage of abandoned calls (7.5%) than the national average in 2023.

Demographics who historically underutilized hotlines are using Let’s Talk. 23% of callers identified their ethnicity as Hispanic/Latin. 42% of callers identified as male. 19% of callers identified as Black and/or African American.

A wider variety of primary concerns were reported by callers in 2023 compared to 2022 including stress, bereavement, and suicidal ideation.

IMMEDIATE CARE AND BRIDGE PROGRAM

In partnership with health institutions and non-profits, TBT launched our Immediate Care and Bridge Program to enable individuals across Tampa Bay to access short-term appointments and bridge counseling via Let’s Talk.

Referrals to the immediate care program increased by about 190% in 2023, with 147 referrals in 2022 and 425 referrals in 2023.

YOUTH MENTAL HEALTH

Addressing the pressing challenges faced by our youth is crucial. Mental health self-screenings surged by over 594% from 2019 to 2022, with 54% of these screenings conducted by individuals under 25. Notably, more young people across all age groups, including those under 10, are taking proactive steps to understand their mental health.

Tampa Bay Thrives has engaged over 1,000 individuals, including youth, parents, teachers, and providers to support children’s mental health. Our collective endeavor seeks to enhance our understanding of the youth mental health landscape comprehensively.

STRIKE THE STIGMA

In partnership with Florida Blue and the Tampa Bay Lightning, TBT engaged 250 high school students from Hillsborough and Pinellas Counties to provide mental wellness resources and education throughout the day.

TBT created a Mental Health Toolkit and corresponding stations filled with strategies and techniques for students to maintain mental wellness. Since Strike the Stigma, this program has been used at various events and student meetings expanding its impact.

ZEN DEN AT SLIGH MIDDLE SCHOOL

Tampa Bay Thrives partnered with Florida Blue and the Bullard Family Foundation to build out a healing and restorative room focused on mental wellness at Sligh Middle School.

Upon launch, the Zen Den offered students services including art therapy and yoga sessions. Additional wellness programs such as behavioral reflection, wellness mentoring, and therapy dogs are also available for students.

TBT aims to provide support for future wellness rooms across the Tampa Bay area.

FOCUSING ON THE WORKFORCE

Tampa Bay Thrives has two key initiatives to support the local workforce. First, TBT guides businesses in prioritizing employee mental health. Second, TBT established a task force to address the needs of the community and develop the behavioral health workforce in Tampa Bay.

BELL SEAL CERTIFICATION FOR WORKPLACE MENTAL HEALTH

Bell Seal is a Mental Health America certification program recognizing employers committed to creating mentally healthy workplaces. Tampa Bay Thrives convened with five other organizations to apply in the 2023 cycle.

Of the six organizations in the cohort, all received certification at the gold or platinum level.

Florida had the highest number of successful applicants (14% of the total, California was second at 6%). Mental Health America credits Tampa Bay Thrives and our partner the Gehring Group for the success in Florida.

When asked for feedback on the application process, the five applicants said:

100%

would recommend other employers pursue the certification.

52%

provided a point of contact for partnership and sponsorship opportunities.

BEHAVIORAL HEALTH WORKFORCE TASK FORCE

Florida ranks 42nd in mental health workforce availability.

84% want to connect with their local Mental Health America affiliate.

Tampa Bay Thrives launched a task force to combat the crisis, focusing on the development of behavioral health career pathways, bolstering recruitment and retention, and using data to strategize. The task force comprises stakeholders from healthcare, education, business, and community sectors.

4 webinars and in person convenings hosted with national and local experts.

195 individuals have participated in our workshops and webinars to lead this planning work.

UNIQUE RESEARCH REPORTS

In April and May of 2023, Tampa Bay Thrives and Downs & St. Germain came together to conduct the second annual study on the community’s perceptions, practices, and experiences related to mental health. The online survey was distributed throughout Hillsborough, Pasco, Pinellas, and Polk counties, yielding a total of 700 responses. Results were weighted by gender, age, and race to appropriately represent the population.

KEY FINDINGS FROM TBT’S 2023 RESIDENT MENTAL HEALTH STUDY

14%

of respondents reported missing work within the past month due to a mental or emotional condition.

2X

Residents were nearly twice as likely to reach out to local organizations and programs in 2023 when looking for care.

6.3

MILLION

workdays per year are lost due to a mental or emotional condition in the Tampa Bay area.

23% of respondents received professional mental health treatment within the past 12 months. A 7% decrease from 2022.

#1 BARRIER

Cost of care continued to be the #1 barrier to residents receiving needed mental health care.

1 OUT OF 3

Tampa Bay parents are not comfortable discussing mental health with their children.

In 2023, Tampa Bay Thrives completed 4 original research reports in an effort to better understand the mental health of our community including our 2023 Resident Mental Health Study.

2023 FINANCIALS

Cash Pledges Receivable Grants Receivable Prepaid Expenses and Other Assets Property and Equipment Total Assets $3,273,933 $300,118 $309,028 $13,575 $21,238 $3,917,892

Liabilities and Net Assets

Accounts Payable and Accrued Expenses

Total Current Liabilities

Total Liabilities Without Donor Restrictions With Donor Restrictions

Total Net Assets

Total Liabilities and Net Assets $227,969 $227,969 $227,969 $3,689,923$3,689,923 $3,917,892 Statements of Activities

and

$2,247,452 $33,477 $2,280,929

Expenses $1,943,376 $288,808 $195,698 $2,427,882 Net Assets at End of Year$3,689,923

TOGETHER, FOR A BETTER TOMORROW

We’ve set the stage for the next chapter, and we need your help to continue our progress. To join our movement, scan the QR code below.

THANK YOU TO OUR FUNDERS

JP Morgan Chase Pasco County Sheriff’s Department

James

The Steinbrenner Family Foundation

Raymond