CAO 26-180 Community Development Week and Audrey Nelson Award
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Okay, we'll close close public comment. And um in the resolutions as we go through today, we're gonna move up to RS4. Uh we're lucky to have uh Congressman Bilarakis is here. So Congressman if you would come up and everyone else for a community development week, the resolution please come forward.
Thank you so very much. It's an honor to be here. And I I r I used to Gus Bilarak is by the way. Uh I used to come here with my father back in the early seventies. He was a small claims court judge uh in Pasco County. And uh I just remember those days. But uh I'm here to to honor This wonderful organization in the county, and Kathy Pearson is here as well and her colleagues. But
uh this was given on the floor of the House of Representatives by myself on January 6, 2026. Today, Mr. Speaker, to recognize the outstanding work of Pasco County Community Development and to congratulate the county on receiving the prestigious Audrey Nelson Award, a national honor that recognizes exemplary achievement in serving community and law and moderate. income residents
through the innovative use of the community development block grant uh and it that's the C D BG and Home Investment Partnership Funds. The Audrey Nelson Award is uh bestowed annually on only a limited number of projects nationwide. This year, just seven projects were selected, making Pasco County's achievement especially noteworthy. Pasco
County is proud to once again be among the distinguished group with recognition for its behavioral health, urgent care. Center, the first behavioral health UCC in the state of Florida. We're so proud of this county. This innovative project was developed to address a critical gap in access to urgent mental health and substance use services for projects. Was developed to address a
critical gap again, and the vulnerable population will be served. Okay. The Behavioral Health UCC provides immediate voluntary access to outpatient behavioral health care with extended output. Hours, offering a vital alternative to emergency departments. It also serves as an essential point for individual transitioning from high risk settings such
as jails or inpatient facilities, helping to ensure continuity of care. at moments when intervention is most needed. The impact of this program has been extraordinary. While UCC initially anticipated serving 450 individuals during its first year of operation from February 5, 2025 through September 30, 2025. It ultimately provided
service. Services to twelve hundred and seventy-four adults, incredible, exceeding expectation by 130 per 183%. Approximately 94% of those sir were successfully diverted. m from more acute inpatient settings. Additionally, 71% of the follow-up appointments were uh attended. A remarkable improvement from 34%
follow-up rate that existed prior to the establishment of the UCC for individuals referred from critical transition points. This success was made possible in part through a strategic investment of $1.469,927 of C D BG funds, which supported essential infrastructure and renovation
needs at the facility. These funds not only enabled the UCC to open its doors, but also helped leverage additional operational funding to sustain services in the years ahead. The Behavioral Health Unit Care Center now stands as a model for how targeted federal resources can be used to drive innovation, improve outcomes,
and strengthen communities. I commend Pasco County Community Development. And all partners, included for their leadership, vision, and commitment to serving those most in need. Their work exemplifies the purpose of community development programs and demonstrates how thoughtful investment can change lives. It is fitting that this exceptional project has
been recognized with the Audrey Nelson Award, and I'm proud to honor their achievement in the congressional record. I I yield back, Mr. Speaker, thank you very much for all your work, Mr. Chairman, as well. But all the Pasco County commissioners and these wonderful people behind me, they do incredible work. This is the way you use federal funding to help people that need to help themselves. So God
bless each and every one of you. Matthew, thank you so much for working with us. And of course, the money comes directly to Pasco County, and this is the second national award they've received. So thank you. God bless you. What an honor and a privilege to represent you in the United States Congress. Thank you.
Thank you very much, Congressman. Greatly appreciate you.
Congressman? Congressman, Congressman, if you could. Congressman?
Yes.
We have a resolution too. If you don't mind, we're going to read that, then we'll do a picture with everything together. Is that okay? Very good. Thank you.
Already, resolution number CAO 26-180. A resolution by the Board of County Commissioners of Pasco County, Florida, declaring the week of April 6th through the 10th, 2026 as National Community Development Week in Pasco County. Whereas Pasco County communities serve as the cornerstone of a high quality of life for its residents, and Pasco County's Community Development Department has demonstrated a dedication to homeless initiatives and the revitalization
of neighborhoods and expanding affordable housing ideas. Opportunities. And whereas the week of April 6th through the 10th, 2026, has been designated as National Community Development Week by the National Association of Counties and the National Community Development Association to celebrate the Community Development Block Grant. Grant, the C D B G program, and the Home Investment Partnerships, the H O M E program. And whereas in 1974,
Congress enacted the Housing and Community Development Act, making this the 52nd year of the CDBG program. And whereas the C D BG program and the HOME program provide annual funding and flexibility to local communities to provide decent, safe, and affordable housing and a suitable living environment for economic opportunities to low and moderate income. Citizens and whereas over the past 10
years our community has received a total of $37,113,165 in C D BG funds and $14 million,074 in HOME funds from the U.S. Department of Housing. Mm-hmm. And whereas a grant of over $1,469,927 utilizing community development
block grant funding was used in partnership with the Opioid Treatment and Recovery Fund and HHS Certified Community Behavioral Health Center Fund. funds to create the first behavioral urgent care center in the state of Florida. And whereas this past February, the Behavioral Urgent Care Center received the 2026 Audrey Nelson Achievement Award for Community Development from the National Community Development Association as an exemplary
and innovative community development block grant project. and, whereas, in addition to this award, there were several significant accomplishments reported for this past year, CDBG funds supported the acquisition of 70 existing units of housing that will remain affordable for 30 years. CDBG assisted with the preservation of affordable housing for 73 households. Through owner-occupied rehabilitation, 40 units of affordable
housing were created and 100% of funds expended benefited low to moderate income households. Now, therefore, be it resolved by the Board of County Commissioners of Pasco County, Florida, that said board hereby declares the week of April 6th through the 10th, 2026 as National Community Development Week in Pasco County, done and resolved in regular session with a quorum present in voting this seventh day of April, 2026.
Approval.
Second.
All in favor say aye. Aye aye. Commissioner Yeager, thank you for doing this resolution. If you would like to get out and maybe do a picture with everybody.
Sure, Kathy.
Kathy Pearson, Assistant County Administrator Public Services. First of all, thank you, Congressman Bilarakis. You have been a big champion, always, always, always for Pasco County. And thank you to the team behind me. Community development team. You have no idea what they go through every single day, monitoring, making sure we're in compliance, making sure the money's being spent. Kudos to you all. You're a phenomenal, phenomenal team. I couldn't do it without Paula Barracado, Director of Support Service, who's also our chair of
our opioid. Opioid money paid for a lot of this. And guys, this was your idea. I remember two of the commissioners came to me and said, We would like to see. Do you ever think about having a walk-in clinic? And Sheriff Donnell.
He was involved when we
had a
lot of people.
Exactly. So this this was an idea you all came and this team ran with it. So phenomenal. But I would like to uh introduce Tracy Callie with uh Bay Care. She really put this thing together for our urgent health care clinic. And Tracy, if you want to just come up and maybe give them some numbers, that would be great.
Good morning. Hi you good to see everybody again. Um we are just grateful for Congressman Bill Rakis to be here for the county to be so forward-thinking, so innovative. You know, Baycare is in five counties, and this is the only county that kind of took that leap of faith as soon as the opioid dollars were available and partnering with C D BG, you know, a a true partnership. Between our government and our healthcare to create something that has not existed in the state up till now. You heard the numbers. We said we would serve 400 in our first year. We exceeded that
by I think our total was 1700. You know, we opened last February. So it tells you there's a need. People want to walk in and get services when they're ready for mental health or addiction. The exciting news I want to share with you all today is the timing of. this couldn't be any better because um because of some opioid funding we've been able to open a second behavioral health urgent care center we opened today in Dade City right down the street. So today's our first trade. Thank you guys.
Thank you, Commissioners. Um, we want to say that CD Week is oh Mary Theory Young, um, Director of Community Development. CD Week is not just about celebrating the projects, but it's celebrating the people, as Kathy said behind me, but also the partnerships. The partnerships that we have internally and externally, with some of them here. Um, we want to thank them all, especially we want to say thank Thank you, who they do not get a lot of thanks, but to the county attorney's office because without them they make sure that we are doing everything following every regulation and we do want to say
thank you to them and thank you to you for supporting us and having faith in us to carry the projects forward. Um so thank you to everybody.
I I wanted to say one thing that um just I don't not sure if the congressman knows, but a couple of years ago when we won the award before, I was up in D C then, um because AMSkills also was one of five programs nationally to win a C D P G award. So we were up there um Yeah, so we're very grateful for this funding. I know it might be in jeopardy and so we hope
that we did get yesterday, we did get our allocation yesterday, so at least for the next year we did come down and I keep reading. Yes, we're hearing in my committee in Washington that
that
it could be in jeopardy. So, yes, and we would all want to address
the
Congressman for supporting our funding every year.
Bye. Yeah. Uh Summer Summer is Summer Scanning and she's a great supporter. Uh and willing to get this done because let me tell you You guys use the money wisely.
Yes.
You are a model nationally for the other counties. They look up to you. I you saw a knee and and I and you're definitely we're removing the stigma. Because it's a big issue in our community, but nationwide. Uh and to for people to have access to mental health, uh it there's nothing like it. You're gonna save so many lives. Uh so we appreciate all of you, and it is an honor to represent you. So we'll continue to fight for those kinds
of things.
And if you want any uh of them or us to come up when you have the hearings on it. Absolutely. We can be a model for the country.
Commissioner Yeager, you want to go with the picture?
I just want to say, first of all, I am I am honored to present you guys this this resolution uh just to highlight all of your hard work and your dedication. Um Kathy Pearson and Congressman Bill Arrakis know how near and dear this work is to my to my heart, and I just want to thank you guys. I am so proud of the of the people we have in place to produce these projects and how we really think about and Congressman Bilarakis, you're on the front lines and and you are always fighting
for our under underserved and our veterans and and everything. And I'm just really proud of our Our mental health, our Pasco hope, so many things that we are just leading leading the country in. So I just want to say thank you to all of you and um I have something to give to you. So
thank you. We also want to make sure that everyone knows to come out Thursday night to our CD week event at Lake Lisa. That's another award-winning project that we will be out there from five to seven. Some of our vendor partners will be out there kind of celebrating and talking about the services that they provide to the county.
Okay. Everyone should come up here, we'll do a picture from here.
Stand over the screen. Yeah. Higher gun here.
Well you work that's good.
I have to get it.
Thank you, sir.
Perfect. Oh no, give it a haircut with that.
Rock and roll.
All right, thank you. the good work. Thank you, sir.