PINELLAS COUNTY, Fla. — Tampa Bay 28 anchor Wendy Ryan covers mental health and is always looking for resources to share.
She recently came across the non-profit Care About Me. It is funded by Pinellas County and is a free service designed exclusively for Pinellas residents. It’s a one-stop connection for mental health support, help with substance use, and addiction recovery services all in one place.
“Care About Me is free confidential, access line where we help Pinellas County residents, current and future Pinellas County residents, connecting them with mental health, substance use, and addiction services,” said Melis Tuncay, the supervisor of Care About Me.
Tuncay has a master’s degree in clinical psychology and knows firsthand how critical it is to make sure people, especially those who are uninsured or underinsured, get the help they need.
“We got partnered with providers that can offer pro bono services, very low-cost, sliding-scale services, and we just work with them,” said Tuncay.
Through Care About Me, any Pinellas resident, no matter their age, can be guided by experienced mental health counselors toward counseling, support groups, educational tools, and local treatment centers.
You can connect with Care About Me online here or you can call or text at 727-333-CARE.
“We are open Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 10:00 p.m. and on Saturdays we're open from 10:00 a.m. to 6 p.m. And also, on legal holidays we do work,” said Tuncay.
Ryan will be moderating a mental health panel at The Care About Me Community Wellness Festival. The event is on Saturday, May 30, from 10 a.m. until three p.m. at England Brothers Park in Pinellas Park. There will be fitness classes, mindfulness experiences, food trucks, kid’s activities, and you can even bring home an adoptable pet.
Share Your Story with Wendy
Tampa Bay 28 Anchor Wendy Ryan is dedicated to helping our neighbors navigate the important topic of mental health. For years, she’s been connecting people to resources, listening to their challenges, and sharing their stories to decrease the stigma. You can connect with Wendy by using the form below.
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