Pinellas County Human Services Department

2189 Cleveland Street, Suite 230
Clearwater, FL  33675                                

Mission:
To promote a healthy community by serving our clients professionally, respectfully and empowering them to be self-sufficient.  

Executive Summary: 
Helping the residents of our community build better lives is what the Pinellas County Human Services Department is all about.  On a daily basis, we serve as a safety net for adults in need of assistance for themselves and their families.  The department offers a wide range of programs and services to help people on the way to a better future.  The department's focus is to help and treat the sick and the injured.  We operate a mobile medical van that travels to transitional housing and soup kitchen facilities to treat the homeless and medically under served.

Human Services provides case management to assist in finding long-term support and coordinates the federally funded Summer Food program that gives free nutritionally balanced meals to kids during summer vacation.  Our STARS program helps individuals overcome obstacles to gaining full-time employment.  The Veterans Services team helps veterans register for benefits they deserve.  Staff members submit and appeal claims on behalf of veterans and their dependents.  They also visit clients at home and in long-term facilities through an outreach program.  I am proud of the work Human Services does to improve lives and our community, and the professionalism, compassion and committment with which the Human Services employees serve the citizens of Pinellas County.

Pinellas County Human Services provides medical assistance including primary care, specialty care, diagnostic testing, hospitalization and prescriptions to residents of Pinellas County who lack insurance, Medicaid or Medicare coverage and have income under Federal Poverty Level and assets under $2,000 for a household of 1.  (FY 2005 $11,234,774 for medical care)  (FY 2005- $4,085,106 for prescriptions). We refer ineligible clients to other medical clinics in Pinellas County.

The county contributes to Medicaid through Medicaid match funds ($8,000,000- FY 2005).  In addition we fund out of state hospitalizations for county residents (HCRA- $100,000- FY 2005).  We fund Uncompensated Hospital Care - $4,150,000- FY 2005 and emergency rooms- $620,000- FY 2005.  

We also operate mobile medical vans to serve the homeless and the medically underserved.  We also provide dental services to individuals without Medicaid coverage or private dental insurance with income under Federal Poverty Level and assets under $2,000 for a household of 1  (FY 2005- $700,000).  Pinellas County government also provides funding for mental health treatment, (2,567,150 in FY 2005).  Our agency refers individuals needing mental health treatment to community mental health agencies.  

Additionally our department funds medical care through community agencies.  In FY 2005 this included $1,525,009 to Community Health Centers.  Specific additional healthcare funding includes funding for Healthnet Helpline 211, Compassionate Drugs, Operation PAR, University of Florida Dental Clinicand the Partnership for a Healthier Pinellas for an additional funding in FY 2005 of $966,140.