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Mental Health

And Homeless Issues Division

Orange County Government

Mental Health and Homeless Issues Division

The Orange County Mental Health and Homeless Division ensures that quality mental health services for individuals and families, children and adults, are available and accessible in this community. The division ensures that there are dedicated resources available through a network of community partners, providers and advocacy groups. Orange County continues to lead community conversations in a continuous effort to identify better solutions and stronger outcomes for those experiencing homelessness and mental health/behavioral needs.

Mental Health Services for Adults

Community services in Orange County are provided by Aspire Health Partners, the designated community provider of public behavioral health and substance abuse services. Aspire offers inpatient crisis stabilization and follow up services such as case management, counseling, medication management and medication assistance.

In partnership with the Florida Department of Children and Families and Orange County Government, the Belvin Perry, Jr. Central Receiving Center (CRC) serves individuals engaged by local law enforcement who are experiencing a mental health and/or substance abuse crisis.

Mental Health Services for Children, Adolescents and Young Adults

Orange County provides the leadership for Wraparound Orange, a federally supported project comprised of a community collaborative of partner agencies contracted to provide wraparound services to children, adolescents and young adults. Wraparound is a nationally recognized model, provides intensive care coordination and management for children, adolescents, and young adults experiencing a behavioral/emotional/mental health and/or substance abuse disorder and their families. Wraparound Orange provides services to those ages 0-21 and is effective in keeping children, adolescents and young adults in their home, school and community.

Additionally, Wraparound Orange contracts with Devereux, Florida, to provide mobile crisis services within our community. The service is available for children/youth, ages 0-17 who need immediate assistance because they are experiencing a mental health or substance abuse crisis. Anyone can call and request the service and there is no cost to families. Services can be accessed via the Heart of Florida United Way helpline by dialing “211”.

In 2015, Wraparound Orange launched a campaign aimed to reduce the stigma often times associated with asking for help. The purpose of the “This Is My Story” campaign was to create a community conversation for teens and young adults, allowing them to share their personal experiences with mental health. “This is My Story” is a traveling story-board exhibit and is displayed at events on various college campuses and other community venues where young adults gather. The exhibit encourages participants to share personal experiences or read about how mental illness has affected others. Through the experience, teens and young adults have the opportunity to learn how others may have similar feelings and that it is OK to get help.

YOUTH MENTAL HEALTH COMMISSION

In 2014, Orange County convened a twenty-member Commission comprised of elected officials, law enforcement and community leaders to develop new strategies and initiatives to address the system of care issues in children’s mental health in Orange County. The Commission was tasked with examining the resources, values, accessibility and stigma associated with early identification and interventions available to children and families in Orange County. View a copy of the final Committee reports and the Board presentation .

Advocacy, Education and Support

Ensuring that the appropriate direct services are in place within a community is crucial. In addition to those direct services, Orange County partners with local and national organizations that offer support and educational services, as well as advocates for those individuals and families living with mental illness.

Where To Get Help

Mental Health

If you or a family member is in crisis due to a mental health crisis, please call 911 and request the assistance of a CIT Officer or contact Aspire Health Partners at (407) 875-3700.

Other Mental Health Resources

Adult Substance Abuse Services

If you or a family member is in crisis due to substance abuse, please call 911 and request the assistance of a CIT Officer or contact the Aspire Health Partners at (407) 245-0012.

ENTRY INTO HOMELESS SERVICES

Here in Central Florida, the Homeless Services Network of Central Florida is the lead organization that manages a coordinated system of care to serve Orange, Osceola and Seminole counties. This coordinated entry system includes a network of affiliated providers working together to mitigate homelessness. The prerequisite to services begins with an initial assessment that ensures the individual is captured in the local Homeless Management Information System (HMIS). This coordinated approach is crucial because it helps minimize the duplication of services among social services organizations, as well as tracks the status of services to an individual and documents previous or currently offered services. HMIS is a confidential system, which access only granted to authorized social service providers.

HOW TO HELP AN INDIVIDUAL WHO IS HOMELESS

If you are homeless, or know someone who is experiencing homelessness, there are several ways to help. The H.O.P.E. Team, a team comprised of caring individuals with specialized backgrounds, conducts homeless outreach services in Central Florida. This team goes to the woods, camps, streets and other locations where homeless individuals gather. They also canvass streets in search of individuals without shelter. The H.O.P.E. team proactively works to locate individuals, but also responds to concerned citizens who believe an individual is homeless and in need of help.

HOW TO FIND HOMELESS HELP

If you are homeless, or assisting someone who is homeless, there are several ways to enter the system of care which assesses, identifies and tracks assistance.

  • Call 2-1-1 - The Heart of Florida United Way's 2-1-1 hotlines serves as a 24-hour resource for individuals experiencing homelessness. 2-1-1 is designed to connect callers to a multilingual 2-1-1 specialist in the area who can put them in touch with local organizations that provide critical services to improve and save lives.
  • Visit one of four HUBs in Central Florida. A HUB is a location where individuals and families who are literally homeless can come for a face-to-face assessment. There are two HUBs located in Orange County and one in Seminole County.

    Location: Northland Church 
    530 Dog Track Road, Longwood FL 32751
    HUB located in the Care Center
    Days: Every Monday  (excluding holidays)          
    Time: 1:30 p.m. - 4 p.m.

    Location: United Against Poverty 
    150 West Michigan Street, Orlando FL 32806
    HUB located suite D
    Days: Every Friday (excluding holidays)          
    Time: 1:30 p.m. - 4 p.m.

    Location: Health Care Center for the Homeless
    808 West Central Blvd, Orlando Fl. 32805
    HUB located behind Christian Service Center/Daily Bread
    Days: Every Friday (excluding holidays)          
    Time: 9 a.m. - 12 p.m.  Location: (Veterans only) Lake Baldwin Outpatient Clinic
    5201 Raymond Street, Orlando, Fl. 32803
    HUB is located in Bldg. #503, Room B1007

    Days:
    First three Fridays of every month
    Time:
    9 a.m. - 2 p.m.

  • HUB Additional Information:
    • HUBs are first come and serve until capacity is reached.
    • The entire family does not need to be present, only the head of household.
    • Documents to bring, if available:
      • Valid Identification (driver’s license, state ID, Passport, etc.) for all adults
      • Social Security Card for all adults
      • Birth Certificates all children (if family) or proof of guardianship

    This is an assessment only and does not guarantee housing.
  • The Orange County Families, Health and Social Services programs provide a helping hand in a time of need and are compiled onto a single page for reference. Visit any of the 24 programs listed to find information and assistance.
  • Orange County’s Great Oaks Village Youth Shelter provides temporary housing for youth experiencing a variety of problems. Open 24 hours, 7 days a week, youth at the shelter may be homeless, runaways, lockouts or may be seeking a cooling off period during a family crisis. The Youth Shelter accepts referrals from families, schools, the court system, DJJ, DCF, law enforcement and other agencies. The Shelter can be contacted at 407-836-7626, for additional information.
  • Orange County women and children in need of leaving a dangerous living situation are encouraged to contact Harbor House of Central Florida at 407-886-2856 for immediate assistance, including help preventing homelessness.
  • The Belvin Perry Jr. Central Receiving Center (CRC) has been a single point of entry for mental health and substance-use disorders and homelessness since its opening in 2003. The CRC accepts crisis mental health and substance abuse consumers in need of acute care services in our community.

HOUSING LOCATOR SEARCH

The FloridaHousingSearch.org website was launched in June of 2006 and is sponsored by the Florida Housing Finance Corporation. The website was developed with support from a number of nonprofit and government organizations in Florida. The housing locator service allows people to locate available housing that best fits their individual and family needs. The service can be accessed online 24 hours a day and is supported by a toll-free, bilingual call center Monday through Friday, 9 a.m.-8 p.m. EDT. Individuals can easily search for housing using a wide variety of search criteria with special mapping features and receive apartment listings that provide a multitude of important information about each unit. In addition, the site connects people to other housing resources through website links and provides helpful tools for renters such as an affordability calculator, rental checklist, and renter rights and responsibilities information.

Contact Us

Mental Health & Homeless Issues Division
2002-A E. Michigan Street
Orlando, Florida 32806
Telephone: (407) 836-7608