Crisis Center of Tampa Bay

The three-digit number was launched to make it easier for people in crisis to access help. Crisis Center CEO Clara Reynolds says the spike in calls suggests mental health challenges persist for many.

USF is teaming up with the Crisis Center of Tampa Bay to offer seven installments of a mental wellness course examining how behavioral health affects the workplace.

A center has opened a location in Ruskin. Previously, residents in the are would have to travel to a location about an hour away - if they have a car. Officials say the distance likely kept some from seeking help.

The Crisis Center teamed up with Ultimate Medical Academy to launch an apprenticeship program that offers students free tuition and paid jobs. They aim to remove barriers to getting certified.

The center responded to more than triple its yearly average number of 211 calls from Charlotte County in just one week.

The money will pay for 10 staffers focused on handling 988 calls. Staff now are juggling those calls while also managing other helplines.

The Crisis Center of Tampa Bay has answered thousands of 988 calls since the launch, and CEO Clara Reynolds says emergency responders have only had to get involved about 2% of the time.

Counselors in Florida have been preparing for the abbreviated number, which proponents say will be easier to remember in a crisis. They also hope it improves access to services, decreases unnecessary interactions with the police and saves lives.

Clara Reynolds of the Crisis Center of Tampa Bay says it may be difficult to figure out how to discuss the Uvalde shooting with your child — but it's important to start the conversation.

Florida Matters checks back in with Clara Reynolds, CEO of the Crisis Center of Tampa Bay, for another frank conversation about what her center continues to hear from callers.