Gulf Coast Community Foundation (Gulf Coast) has partnered with Centerstone and the Venice Police Department (Venice PD) to launch Behavioral Response and Community Engagement (BRACE), a new mental health crisis response initiative designed to provide timely, person-centered support for individuals experiencing behavioral health crises.
The BRACE program embeds trained mental health professionals into the local emergency response system to respond to nonviolent, mental health-related 911 calls. The program aims to reduce repeated crisis calls and unnecessary emergency room visits while helping residents access appropriate care.
“BRACE reflects our shared commitment to expanding access to support during moments of crisis,” said Erin Minor, Gulf Coast’s Vice President of Community Leadership. “By bringing together community partners with complementary expertise, this program will help ensure individuals receive compassionate, appropriate care that addresses underlying needs and promotes long-term well-being.”
The program was developed from ongoing conversations between the three organizations about gaps in the local crisis response system and the potential of a more coordinated approach. Through collaboration, the partners identified an opportunity to strengthen existing services and expand the continuum of care for residents experiencing mental health challenges.
“This partnership strengthens our ability to respond thoughtfully and effectively to behavioral health situations,” said Kasey Ledford, Case Manager for the Venice PD’s Community Outreach Team (COT). “Integrating mental health professionals into our response framework allows us to better support individuals and connect them to services that may help prevent future crises.”
BRACE will respond primarily to mental health-related calls, while the COT will continue to focus on substance misuse and homelessness-related responses. BRACE augments the existing COT by adding a pre-crisis intervention strategy that expands the community’s overall crisis response capacity.
“BRACE intervention allows for earlier, more supportive engagement with individuals in distress,” said Charles Whitfield, Vice President, Community Care at Centerstone. “By emphasizing de-escalation and connection to care, this model is a collaboration between Venice PD and Brace Navigators to address root causes like unmet social needs, including food insecurity, housing inadequacy, access to primary care, and natural supports, while simultaneously strengthening the local crisis response system.”
Through proactive collaboration and planning, the BRACE program is positioned to make a meaningful impact by helping residents access support more quickly and addressing community needs more effectively.
Residents can reach the BRACE team by calling 941-882-7566 or 941-882-7583.
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