Specifications include, but are not limited to:The Orange County Mental Health and Homelessness Division (“County”) engages with community partners to provide Outpatient Behavioral Health Services as described below and as included in the Orange County Mental and Behavioral Health System of Care Community Analysis Report, presented to the Board of County Commissioners on February 22, 2022. Funding for these services is made available through the County and the American Rescue Plan Act in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. https://www.ocfl.net/Portals/0/Library/Families-Health-Social%20Svcs/docs/HFUW%20- %20OC%20MentalBehavioral%20Health%20System%20Analysis_02%2015%2022_HiResFINAL-CERT.pdf#search=mental%20health%20community%20analysis The Covid-19 pandemic has created a public health need for increased access to mental health services. The Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) shares that this stress can cause feelings of fear, anger, sadness, worry, numbness, or frustration. According to the CDC, which surveyed adults across the U.S. in late June of 2020, 31% of respondents reported symptoms of anxiety or depression, 13% reported having started or increased substance use, 26% reported stress-related symptoms, and 11% reported having serious thoughts of suicide in the past 30 days. These numbers are nearly double the rates before the pandemic. The World Health Organization (WHO) has researched and studied the effects of COVID-19 on mental illness. Two key findings of this research include: • Risk of severe illness and death from COVID-19 was higher among people living with mental disorders. • Among people living with mental disorders, illness severity and mortality increased with younger age and disorder severity. Given the increased risk and prevalence of mental illness, coupled with the breaks in care associated with COVID-19 and gaps in available resources as noted in the Orange County Mental and Behavioral Health System of Care Community Analysis Report, the following services are required: • Assisted Outpatient Treatment and Psychosocial Rehabilitation • Adult Intensive Outpatient Services • Medication Assisted Treatment • Care Coordination Outcomes for each lot will be finalized with the Agencies following Contract awards.
