Over the past five years, we have made great strides to support the mental well-being of children and families in our region. In addition to collaborating with local mental health providers and creating a strategic road map to caring for our community, we have also grown our team from 6 to 36 professionals and have increased mental health visits by over 1,300%. While our programs continue to grow, so too does the need for mental health care. In the first eight months of 2021, there was a 494% increase in Baker Acts due to mental health crises like self-harm and suicide compared to 2020. Also, the number of mental health visits we provided nearly doubled in 2021 compared to the prior year. The need is real and immediate. We can’t do this alone. Join us in advocating for Southwest Florida children.