By Orange County Commissioner Christine Moore
I’ve long sung the praises of how many programs are offered through Orange County Government, and when it comes to Mental Health Services and Adult and Family Homelessness, the county again steps up to the plate.
Consider this column as a tutorial on where you can find services or how to assist others in finding aid. Let’s start with adult mental health services. Aspire Health Partners provides a contractual partnership with the county for various facets of mental health care.
The first place to search for services is: www.aspirehealthpartners.com
Housing for people challenged with mental health or substance abuse concerns can often pose a large issue. Aspire operates several programs that provide housing. One is ANCHOR which offers a stable living environment for patients to recover from their symptoms. Adults can remain in the program for up to one year. College Place Apartments (CPA) offer support for adults with a mental illness who require community assistance and a secure living environment. Participants can stay up to two years.
Medication costs can be addressed through Aspire’s uninsured and underinsured medication management program.
Either reach out through www.aspirehealthpartners.com or email questions to: AskMHH@ocfl.net
For young people, Wraparound Orange is the program families can turn to for managing mental health challenges. It operates at 507 E. Michigan St. in Orlando and serves the entire county.
Call 407.836.1581 or log on to: www.thespritproject.com/clients/wocommunityreferrals
We provide services in English, Spanish, and Haitian Creole.
A variety of providers handle homelessness among adults and families. From drop-in services to finding permanent housing, the single best place to start is by calling 211 or going to this website: www.cfch.org/list-of-hubs
Each program devoted to rehousing homeless individuals or addressing needs on a drop-in basis has individual criteria that must be met. If you are aware of someone who could soon become homeless, he or she should seek assistance now before housing is gone.
