Therapists are trained to address:

• Anxiety
• Depression
• Anger Management
• Stress Management
• Marital Conflict
• Co-dependency
• Child and Adolescent Behaviors
• Relationship Issues
• Substance Abuse
• Age related adjustments
• And more

Support Groups and Workshops

Groups and workshops are offered throughout Pinellas County and are open to the public. Support groups and workshops offer guidance, emotional support, and education on a variety of topics targeting youth, families, and seniors.

Topics may include:

• Adjusting to Loss (Bereavement)
• Parenting Skills
• Stress Management
• Physical and Mental Health (various topics)
• Preventing Bullying
• Internet Safety
• Reacting to Peer Pressure
• Women’s Issues
• Seniors Issues
• and many more.

Support group and workshop funding is provided by the June B. Gelbart Foundation and participant and community donations.

• The Geriatric Residential Treatment System (GRTS) is a community-based psychosocial rehabilitation and treatment program that is designed to deinstitutionalize or divert individuals age 50 and older with serious and persistent mental illness from Florida state and private mental hospitals. Since its inception in 1980, we have taken over 2,000 elders out of state mental hospitals. The GRTS system provides residential care, case management and day treatment services. Our continuum of care for mentally ill elders has been internationally recognized, and has received commendations for its quality of care from Neal Brown, Director of Community Support Program at the National Institute of Mental Health, and Dr. E. Fuller Torry of the National Alliance for the Mentally Ill.

• Darlington and Chatlin Homes are two 16-bed residential treatment facilities that provide care for older adults and seniors age 50 and older who are suffering from serious and persistent mental illness. Twenty-four hour care is provided by an interdisciplinary team consisting of a consulting psychiatrist, nurses, mental health technicians, an activities technician, a dietary technician, role recovery specialists, a treatment coordinator, and an LCSW. Services available to residents include treatment planning, psychiatric care, group modules, dietary education, medication management assistance, psychosocial activities, recreational groups, and group outings. The focus of treatment for residents is on psychiatric, economic, and emotional self-sufficiency and stabilization. Residential services are complemented by Case Management, which provide services that focus on role recovery.

• The Supported Housing Program (SHP) provides services in Pasco, Pinellas and Hillsborough county to adults who have a serious and persistent mental illness. This Role Recovery based program is designed to assist individuals reach the goal of living as independently as possible by helping these individuals locate and maintain housing in the community.
  
  Housing Specialists and Peer Specialists provide support services, which includes direct assistance with daily living skills, side-by-side individual support, linkage to services, and mentoring. Employment Specialists provide vocational coaching, which entails assisting consumers with aspects of obtaining a job, interview skills, and support once employment is obtained. Support Funds are available to consumers to assist with maintaining their housing.

• Extended Geriatric Residential Treatment Program (E-GRTS) is a 16-bed intensive residential program for seriously mentally ill elders and older adults in Broward County. The program provides psychiatric services, psychosocial rehabilitation, life skills training and other supports.

• Alternative Family Program located in 32 counties throughout Florida provides therapeutic foster homes for 250 adults and elders with persistent mental illness, including 80 forensic clients. The program recruits, trains, certifies and licenses community sponsors who provide up to three chronically mentally ill individuals with a supportive, home-like environment as an alternative to inpatient psychiatric or state hospitalization. Caregivers/sponsors are licensed and specially trained in the care of individuals with psychiatric disabilities, and are responsible for the support, care and well-being of the consumers. Outcome results show that 92% of program participants have not been readmitted to state hospitals. In 1996, the Alternative Family Program received the Significant Achievement Award from the American Psychiatric Association, and was highlighted in the November 1994 issue of Hospital and Community Psychiatry.

• Community Support Team implemented to serve up to 125 adults in Broward County with forensic involvement but may not have severe and persistent mental illness and fall under F.S. Chapter 916. The primary goal of the program is to reduce re-institutionalization by providing additional community support with an emphasis on increased self-sufficiency through employment, stable housing and peer support. Overall, the Community Support Team will provide the necessary services and support to assure successful living in the community which includes: Assistance obtaining and maintaining employment, supported housing and living, incidental funds, daily living skills, psychiatric care and medications, transitional living services, and competency restoration.

• 66th Street Group Home is a Level II Residential Treatment Program for 14 male and female adults age 18 to 45. The clients may have a history of serious mental illness with many being dually diagnosed. Some consumers may have forensic involvement and are diverted from jail. Program accepts individuals under Florida Statute 916 as Incompetent to Proceed or Not Guilty by Reason of Insanity.

• Young Adult Transitional Program in Broward County assists 60 young adults annually ages 18 to 24 who have serious emotional or behavioral difficulties, or serious mental illness, in making a successful transition to adulthood. This includes young adults who are "aging out" of foster care. The program aims to help young adults in achieving within their potential, personal goals, and achieving the highest level of independence while remaining in their community. A "strength based" approach with participants making the transition from the children's mental health system to the adult mental health system by providing: Life Coaches, an Employment Specialist, and a Therapist. It assists with obtaining education/employment, housing and assists in learning daily living skills. Partnered with Nova Southeastern University, participants will attend classes pertaining to crisis management, life, social and job skills.

• Social Rehabilitation is a community-based, psychosocial program for adults and seniors with chronic mental illness that teaches and strengthens the skills needed for independent living. Consumers attending the program acquire skills in areas such as medication management, improving interpersonal relations, managing skills of daily living, how to access community resources, banking and budgeting, recreational activities, and others. Services are provided to individuals in Broward and Hillsborough Counties.

• Mental Health Overlay provides psychiatric/counseling services to individuals who are currently residing in contracted nursing homes in Hillsborough and Pinellas Counties or Assisted Living Facilities in Pinellas. Clients served have an Axis I psychiatric diagnosis, and may receive psychiatric evaluations, medication management and/or individual and group counseling from psychiatrists and mental health practitioners. This program provides services to over 350 clients.

• Older Adults Support Team provides specialized intervention for elders at risk of suicide. Conducted in close coordination with the State of Florida Adult Protective Services, this holistic program provides in-home assessment, crisis intervention counseling, psychiatric evaluation, follow-up and case management with the overall goal of reducing suicide risk. Services are provided to 200 individuals annually.

• Passport to Success is a pilot program in Hillsborough, Pinellas and Pasco Counties that will assist 250 mentally ill ex-offenders to secure employment, housing, mental health treatment and medications, and other needed family and community supports in order to reduce offender recidivism.

• Case Management services are provided to individuals with chronic mental illness in order to coordinate and access needed psychiatric, social, health and other services. Working jointly with consumers, case managers help identify client needs through an assessment process, then assist consumers to receive needed services. Services are monitored to ensure that client needs are being met.

• Jail Diversion for Mentally Ill Offenders and Forensic Outreach provide assessment and community placements for 500 mentally ill non-violent offenders in the Pinellas County Jail and offenders with forensic involvement in the Hillsborough County Jail.  The programs are funded by the Department of Children and Families and Pinellas County Social Services

• Elder Ed program provides community education seminars focusing on the prevention of medication mismanagement and alcohol abuse among the elderly. The program serves over 9,000 annually in Pinellas and Pasco Counties.

• Florida BRITE (Brief Intervention, Referral and Treatment) Project is a statewide pilot research study that provides intervention services for adults 60 and older in Pinellas County who might be at high risk of medication misuse and/or alcohol abuse. The program focuses on reducing risky or harmful levels of drinking or medication abuse that will impair their health. This program provides individualized in-home screening, assessment and intervention through education, advice, short-term problem resolution, advocacy, referral and follow-up.

What does CARF Accreditation mean?

CARF (Commission on Accreditation of Rehabilitative Facilities) promotes the quality, value, and optimal outcomes of our services through a consultative accreditation process that centers on enhancing the quality of lives of persons served by Gulf Coast Jewish Family Services. Gulf Coast Jewish Family Services was awarded a 3 year accreditation because of the excellence in services we provide.  

Programs sponsored by DCF

Accreditations by the Commission on Accreditation and Rehabilitation