[{"_1":2,"_123":-5,"_124":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,75,87,99,111],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},"mediaId",6462199,"mediaKeyId","5811840-f72786e167c1704c2de1271dc88febf2","parentId",5811840,"title","County budget update: trustees’ action restores many CBO allocations, cancels pending RFP process","audioSeconds",351,"startMs",3413000,"endMs",3764000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=5811840-f72786e167c1704c2de1271dc88febf2&start=3413&end=3764","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5811840-f72786e167c1704c2de1271dc88febf2/thumbnail_3413000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6462199/Miami-Dade-County/Florida/County-budget-update-trustees-action-restores-many-CBO-allocations-cancels-pending-RFP-process","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6462199-dbfc46b60786acc269083b676fdd50ca/orig.mp4?Expires=1770594652&Signature=eKwh~OVZETckW6JUubdTNlO~yJtvX-KnwbBwFmZFgyGqrrmTcfXnIo7hO3jdMrW6K3fEbO61D98ItcOsjwsceGlGRXP24nq9cn760uFN-s2LNs2OK1DGUEa2cY3bBTFXd7xSeWqL2WABN7g4Mfqu5uP7zpi9Qi71VQWO0ajf6uT5TaYnxct5w0IXPj7zXjrD6tPCSiLpvf1zvpDD67ZVQqgveOrjYzC0EzUDMqnRoflxHhs6qbEm1CwfRegikLRtofmUCKma0ePjn4Nat2ZudjLllFnelBjFFR6ERBjrUpNHAoOPf7Iz203dtK7SUKVUTV5KapcPm4s6SPmzgrt9pQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Miami-Dade County","date","2025-09-22T00:00:00Z","article","Dan Wall of the county budget office told the Behavioral Health Advisory Board on Sept. 22 that the county’s Board of County Commissioners adopted a budget that, in large part, restored prior recurring allocations to many community‑based organizations and incorporated change memos into the final budget.

Wall said the trustees approved restoring many legacy recurring allocations and, as part of the adopted budget, “we've officially canceled that prior new CBO RFP process or grant making process that was contemplated,” citing fiscal prudence for non‑recurring funding. Wall offered to provide a list of funded organizations to the board and invited members to follow up on agency‑level questions.

During discussion, a board member said that at least some agencies — including NAMI Miami‑Dade — had not been fully restored to prior funding levels and requested a follow‑up. Wall acknowledged multiple historical allocation lists and said the mayor’s office and budget staff sought to preserve the largest prior allocations when consolidating funding, but that members with multiple allocations might have seen only their largest award restored in the initial change memos.

Why it matters: CBO allocations support many prevention, outreach and crisis‑response programs in Miami‑Dade. Board members asked staff for a detailed list so they could verify funding restorations for programs they represent.

Dan Wall said the budget office would provide the list of restored allocations to the advisory board and that county staff were available to answer specific questions about how individual agencies fared in the final budget.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Miami-Dade County - Behavioral Health Advisory Board","oneSentenceSummary","County budget staff reported the Board of County Commissioners adopted a budget package that restored many recurring community‑based organization (CBO) allocations and canceled a planned new CBO RFP process; several board members asked for detail about specific agency restorations, including NAMI.","taxTitle","Miami-Dade County, Florida","taxId",2864,"location","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":76,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":77,"_41":78,"_43":79,"_45":80,"_47":81,"_49":82,"_51":83,"_53":84,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":85,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":86,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6462204,"County staff says merged department will oversee Miami behavioral‑health facility; board discusses forensic waits and housing needs",192,3767000,3959000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5811840-f72786e167c1704c2de1271dc88febf2&start=3767&end=3959","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5811840-f72786e167c1704c2de1271dc88febf2/thumbnail_3767000.jpg","/articles/6462204/Miami-Dade-County/Florida/County-staff-says-merged-department-will-oversee-Miami-behavioralhealth-facility-board-discusses-forensic-waits-and-housing-needs","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6462204-8ed1bf985efad58a0e7c0fa546776c3f/orig.mp4?Expires=1770594652&Signature=UlcBaPPaJBf9ShQi1oIY~eWLU2Gpa6JeRNLUcaiHTAw4zvcewYU4CaqCNz5RiGfzhEta30Tw3S0fDjWXu7KgnSWkT-RKx3Px-sQg8h53nl98zmatHmosliOZnO5styOsJPZwHUkAWk7kp5sCWqN2iOL~C6WoIoN6szhLf~GQ640ncHQsBkbZfVW8Q9G7RXim-23coWS~vp~X60s8OMjaseLr5uay8P2RJlpWDOu7cp3-LRHySqWj2E7EsnaMj4NU~N3tKdBoRdYvS4gCHDHt~976aCvyHPlhULRHnrNP6ssDbL5ms1htt3J7jbYpw1sUAImZkKJP2ABGjZJyKR1C~w__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","County staff updated the Miami‑Dade Behavioral Health Advisory Board on Sept. 22 about the status of the proposed county mental‑health facility and next steps for service start‑up and licensing.

Kathy Burgess Burgos, who said she will oversee the merged department, told the board the Community Action Human Services and Juvenile Services departments will merge and that the merged entity will manage the mental‑health facility project. “This department will continue to oversee the mental health facility, the project as a whole, and we will also really focus on streamlining clinical services locally,” Burgess Burgos said.

Burgess Burgos told the board the building can begin programming for crisis, short‑term and long‑term services once the item passes and licensing is completed; she said the facility would require finishing work — notably a kitchen and build‑out of the seventh floor — but that meals can be delivered in the interim. She estimated that, if licensing and procurement proceed without delay after approvals, the county could set up programming within roughly six months.

Board members used the update to highlight higher‑level system gaps. The public defender said the county and state face a growing backlog of people found incompetent to proceed; those individuals are often held in jail while waiting for state forensic placement, he said, and urged the county to explore prioritizing placements and engaging the state to address the backlog. Several board members urged use of the facility and related community placements to support forensic diversion and step‑down capacity from state hospitals.

Board members and county staff also discussed the shortage of supportive housing and the need for community placements that would allow patients to step down from inpatient settings into residential programs. County staff said state dollars exist for a residential Level‑1 unit intended for forensic discharges but that local providers currently operate at Level‑2; staff said discussions are underway with managing entities about whether a Level‑1 unit can be operated at or near the Miami facility.

Why it matters: the facility and the merged department are intended to expand clinical capacity and create more local options for people leaving crisis settings; board members emphasized the need to align the facility with statewide forensic diversion and community housing needs.

Board members requested further briefings on data related to the county’s forensic wait list and on how the facility’s services would be prioritized for people in the criminal justice system or transitioning from state hospitals.","County staff announced that Community Action Human Services and Juvenile Services will merge under a licensed social worker to oversee the county mental‑health facility project; board members raised concerns about forensic wait lists, transitions from state hospitals and the need for supportive housing and community placements.",{"_33":88,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":89,"_41":90,"_43":91,"_45":92,"_47":93,"_49":94,"_51":95,"_53":96,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":97,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":98,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6462209,"NAMI Miami‑Dade presents helpline, outreach and early‑intervention programs to advisory board",865,1229000,2094000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5811840-f72786e167c1704c2de1271dc88febf2&start=1229&end=2094","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5811840-f72786e167c1704c2de1271dc88febf2/thumbnail_1229000.jpg","/articles/6462209/Miami-Dade-County/Florida/NAMI-MiamiDade-presents-helpline-outreach-and-earlyintervention-programs-to-advisory-board","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6462209-b32d4583466cabf78836016e656eda47/orig.mp4?Expires=1770594652&Signature=FL67zXO8mj91pOj8fSkoiDpyRP9Rbv~5q-Ft3LVMYmgxtjlbyLX4HVs2bjXlCJuXkciaweUKn24eSt-ps1Pv3DAAyk-KC1rZ33tH4k6S2na1X~Y2koZwEEZ9cZyq0gstTJ1qqoyHySlxOiiDaerqN92ugFr-bqb6o0aBov7kL~hQdeTJeRxzmru4j0S3qwKE3QNiWXCuj9ROT6CW9dyWM065FEqstPNwmA-S2OHi91shJyNeslJJx1iCH6vwwqUiAI~iC6Bzh~OxIEv8AE5Q~bgiU45yCQnmIWaDoJSYAc3pYTIEPiNvfgtakVWfJ30HsQTIG-1gt~DS1YneDyhXjQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Susan Holtzman, president and CEO of NAMI Miami‑Dade County and a member of the advisory board, gave the board an overview of the affiliate’s programs on Sept. 22 and urged board support for peer‑led early‑intervention and family‑education services.

Holtzman described NAMI Miami‑Dade as one of the largest local affiliates nationally and summarized three program pillars: education, support and advocacy. “Our mission is to improve the quality of life for people with mental illness and their families through support, education and advocacy,” Holtzman said.

Holtzman reviewed statistics she said underscore early‑intervention priorities: about one in five U.S. adults experience mental illness each year, she said; “50 percent of all lifetime mental illness begins by age 14 and 75 percent by age 24,” she told the board. NAMI’s local programs include school‑based education starting in middle school, worksite stigma‑reduction programs and peer support groups for people with mental illness and for family members.

Holtzman described NAMI Miami‑Dade’s helpline and warm‑handoff practices. The helpline number she gave is (305) 665‑2540; the affiliate also fields texts and email inquiries through namimiami.org and offers services in English, Spanish and Haitian Creole. She said the helpline is staffed by trained peer volunteers and runs weekdays, with human responders available at other times to provide warm handoffs to 988 and mobile response teams when callers are in crisis.

Holtzman cited program outcomes she said the affiliate is tracking locally and nationally: 72 percent of youth in the Ending the Silence program improve protective factors, and 79.8 percent of QPR participants increase protective factors for suicide prevention. Holtzman also described support‑group outcomes and the affiliate’s partnerships with police departments and other local agencies.

Board members asked whether NAMI’s county funding had been fully restored in the recent budget process; Holtzman said she believed NAMI had not yet been fully restored to prior funding levels and the question would be followed up outside the meeting.

Why it matters: NAMI’s services target early identification, family support and peer connection — services board members identified as central to reducing crisis recidivism and improving adherence to treatment plans.

Holtzman encouraged board members to use and promote NAMI’s helpline and training programs and offered to collaborate on county outreach efforts.","NAMI Miami‑Dade described its education, peer‑support and helpline services to the advisory board, including local outcomes for programs such as Ending the Silence and QPR and the helpline phone number and languages served.",{"_33":100,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":101,"_41":102,"_43":103,"_45":104,"_47":105,"_49":106,"_51":107,"_53":108,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":109,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":110,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6462214,"Brave Health tells Miami‑Dade advisory board telehealth model aims to speed access for Medicaid and other patients",762,453000,1215000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5811840-f72786e167c1704c2de1271dc88febf2&start=453&end=1215","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5811840-f72786e167c1704c2de1271dc88febf2/thumbnail_453000.jpg","/articles/6462214/Miami-Dade-County/Florida/Brave-Health-tells-MiamiDade-advisory-board-telehealth-model-aims-to-speed-access-for-Medicaid-and-other-patients","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6462214-3cd43c54369d6daa704ba5ebd2f892c9/orig.mp4?Expires=1770594652&Signature=f2oPiZ20WnTcyQxvo~wpw-cKwqmIhAYGj1rFnbBNk8RpdkXMbiwOWP7O98Xl3V-KLCZYMGunZMqnS3v1a3m5t~n2FYIXXpW3hIBgMvsg3yQ5Uy9VFEmSPJuKAJQtQOgj6sEFbXw4BnNm8pdvRgx1TA7dIvtSYnESbfVpY4Y5DrT84VkfxmVbQyi4npxZM~3aVqJFKWu3nmqzuuZv5EiEis2Yf78oktWf0QHk-Xsd2ryoNSOP0vrGqwb6U1SlE426r3Nsnt9R3z~32jzVT2~CVwHq-3HJlDg-txfcM4LYNGlx-HX7PD6JCfsDxzoCpdV5WHpJ3RCUCbxBhF1oc0nFiQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Brave Health representatives presented their telehealth model to the Miami‑Dade Behavioral Health Advisory Board on Sept. 22, describing a referral‑centric platform intended to shorten waits for community mental‑health appointments.

Alex Jerezas, regional lead for Brave Health, said the company was founded in Florida in 2017 to bridge a gap in access. “When you think of BraveHealth, think of us as a community mental health provider,” he told the board, listing services including medication management, individual therapy, clinician‑led groups, family and couples counseling, and expedited intake workflows for acute referrals.

Local representative Yomaira Perea described Brave Health’s intake route for acute psychiatric facilities and case managers: an encrypted referral form triggers an automated process, she said, and referrers receive an email confirmation and an appointment date “within 2 to 4 hours.” Perea added that Brave Health texts patients from a local 305 area code and uses browser links rather than requiring a downloaded app.

The presenters gave the board several operational metrics the company tracks: Brave Health reported a 73 percent reduction in hospital readmissions among patients who engage with its services, an average time to scheduled appointment of 4.5–6.8 days from initial outreach, and an average length of care of seven months (compared with a stated national average of 5.5 months). The presenters said they accept Medicaid, Medicare and numerous commercial plans and are credentialed with more than 200 payers.

Questions from board members focused on local capacity and services. A member asked how many Brave Health clients are served in Miami‑Dade; staff answered that the company had treated “a 100 and some odd thousand patients” statewide since 2017 but did not provide a county‑specific client count during the presentation.

The presenters said Brave Health does not provide direct case management but coordinates closely with case managers and referral sources to confirm appointments and report no‑shows to referring agencies.

Why it matters: board members seeking quicker pathways from emergency settings into outpatient care will note Brave Health’s emphasis on rapid referrals and notification to referrers — operational features designed to improve continuity of care for people discharged from crisis settings.

Brave Health representatives left contact information and offered to follow up with county staff and providers on partnership opportunities.","Brave Health presented a telehealth model serving Medicaid, Medicare and other insured patients, highlighting rapid referral workflows, encrypted intake forms, and outcome metrics the company says reduce hospital readmissions.",{"_33":112,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":113,"_41":114,"_43":115,"_45":116,"_47":117,"_49":118,"_51":119,"_53":120,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":121,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":122,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6462218,"Miami-Dade behavioral health advisory board adopts bylaws, forms four committees",944,2472000,3416000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5811840-f72786e167c1704c2de1271dc88febf2&start=2472&end=3416","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5811840-f72786e167c1704c2de1271dc88febf2/thumbnail_2472000.jpg","/articles/6462218/Miami-Dade-County/Florida/Miami-Dade-behavioral-health-advisory-board-adopts-bylaws-forms-four-committees","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6462218-7ae39bb918eb4f39f02ba96bce2ede7b/orig.mp4?Expires=1770594652&Signature=ET9aTLzOuw2EPL-U4RcD9jA22ijkKd1G8obuEmjw5XY2hv2sntwxdzNGcqNuWRyLALEjWeZvNjI3pCx5mRlsueUHFliXC-FTI9L2nnJWD4XOAko6DdarqYtbVF4vlRhgF9JyV2G7JdPgbpvDftr3RLAmvLovyI5vs45t1vMfjEm7Gb6gkosx7zbjDlYH2H8n6ECYaM~60sycb9qIDUtrz8P6Vu00qk9MmLYGqqshSaZnT7U~j~fPxRY-nYO38PPvxbBCESVNqmI5lrNqP2Q2dGzf4LfROlmcbilKCEzCFkWvnYnUoHsf0tiaijEMwdcactvzVUpWLqwbt3l5NYI4Ew__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Miami-Dade County Behavioral Health Advisory Board on Sept. 22 adopted a set of bylaws derived from the ordinance that created the panel and voted to form four subcommittees to begin work on prevention, stigma, supportive housing and social-media outreach.

The bylaws, presented by county staffer Amanda (Staff member, Miami-Dade County), mirror Article 10 of the creating ordinance and enumerate duties including advising the Board of County Commissioners on behavioral-health issues, developing or helping to develop a county needs assessment, fostering cross‑sector collaboration and monitoring county-funded behavioral‑health programs. Amanda told the board the packet “was put together by our team. It is based on our ordinance for the creation of this board.”

The board amended one phrase in the membership language to replace the word “suffering” with “recovering,” a change members said better reflected recovery‑oriented language. The board also confirmed procedural points from the ordinance: members serve four‑year terms, the body is composed of 23 voting members, and board members are not compensated but may be reimbursed for parking.

Senator Renee Garcia, chair of the advisory board, urged the panel to be active after the bylaws vote. “I don't want us to be…what's the other boards? I want us to be a proactive board that we can move forward,” Garcia said, urging creation of focused working groups so the full board would not duplicate existing efforts.

The board established four subcommittees to begin work between meetings: 1) prevention, including first responders and veterans; 2) stigma reduction and outreach; 3) supportive housing and housing supports for people with behavioral‑health needs; and 4) a social‑media advisory group to shape public messaging and campaigns. Members said committees will be small (three to five people) and report back to the full board.

Why it matters: the bylaws and committees set the board’s initial priorities and give Miami‑Dade an organized structure to pursue early‑intervention, housing and outreach strategies that board members said are urgent locally.

Board members who raised concerns during the discussion pressed for clarity on the scope of the board’s duties, including whether the board itself must “develop” a needs assessment or instead commission or guide providers and research partners to do so. Amanda said the bylaws reflect the ordinance requirement but that the board can decide how to execute those duties.

The board also reviewed the ordinance’s membership composition during the meeting; the membership includes specified county department representatives and a mix of clinicians, people with lived experience and family members. The board asked staff to circulate the composition language and to solicit members for the new committees.

The board scheduled its next regular meeting for Dec. 1, 2025, at 10 a.m. in the Commission Chambers.","The newly constituted Miami-Dade County Behavioral Health Advisory Board voted to adopt bylaws drawn from the county ordinance, amended one term, and created four subcommittees to begin work on prevention, stigma reduction, supportive housing and social-media outreach.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

County budget update: trustees’ action restores many CBO allocations, cancels pending RFP process

County staff says merged department will oversee Miami behavioral‑health facility; board discusses forensic waits and housing needs

NAMI Miami‑Dade presents helpline, outreach and early‑intervention programs to advisory board

Brave Health tells Miami‑Dade advisory board telehealth model aims to speed access for Medicaid and other patients

Miami-Dade behavioral health advisory board adopts bylaws, forms four committees