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DECEMBER 24, 2014
Panelists discuss mental health needs By B.C. Manion bcmanion@lakerlutznews.com
Participants in a recent mental health panel at Rasmussen College in Land O’ Lakes didn’t have any easy solutions for problems plaguing the delivery of mental health care to the nation’s most vulnerable people. But they did point out several areas where changes could be made to help improve the level of care for those with mental health conditions, and to improve support for their families and loved ones. The panel, convened by U.S. Rep. Gus Bilirakis, focused on mental health and substance abuse issues. It featured U.S. Rep.Tim Murphy of Pennsylvania, a clinical psychologist and author of H.B. 3717, otherwise known as the Helping Families in Mental Health Crisis Act. Bilirakis is among the co-signers on Murphy’s bill. Too often people have thrown some money at the mental health care problem, added a program, and then walked away without making any real difference, Murphy told a crowd of about 100. “We have to stop pretending that we can just wish this away,” Murphy said. Like Murphy, Bilirakis said the time has come to find real solutions.The Palm Harbor
COURTESY OF GUS BILIRAKIS
A mental health care panel at Rasmussen College in Land O’ Lakes noted many issues that need to be addressed to improve the quality of mental health care in this country.
Republican has learned from constituents that “we have a broken system with too many individuals falling through the cracks and not receiving the help that they need. “We put a Band-Aid on it, but we don’t fix it,” Bilirakis said.“Enough is enough.” Murphy said he’s heard from thousands of families across America, and their constant refrain is that there’s not enough help for people who are mentally ill. Under the
current system, mentally ill people often can’t get help they need unless they go to jail. “On any given day, half-a-million people in this nation are in jail with a mental illness,” Murphy said. The problems of mental illness spill into other arenas, too, he added. The nation’s See HEALTH, page 7A
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‘Tis the Season
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Get all your favorite local Connerton in early planning stages for 150-bed hospital news stories online. Lights sparkle on the south side of the Old Lutz School building wishing “Seasons Greetings” to motorists heading north on U.S. 41. The school is open during the holidays, offering Christmas cheer. More photos, page 1B.
By Michael Hinman
mhinman@lakerlutznews.com
lakerlutznews.com
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Florida Hospital is inching closer to eventually building a new hospital in the Connerton community after developers there got initial approval for a 150-bed facility. Pasco County’s Development Review Committee gave the initial OK last week for Connerton to begin planning its second phase of the project, which could include 3,600 more homes, 190,000 square feet of retail and 725,000 square feet of government space. The revised plan adds another 110,000 square feet of medical office space, bringing that total to 200,000, doubling the nursing home beds to 100, and adding 150 beds for a hospital. Despite the move, Connerton representative Stew Gibbons tells The Laker/Lutz News there aren’t any immediate plans to build a hospital at the Land O’ Lakes Boulevard community, located just south of State Road 52. “What we’re doing with now is securing approval of the entitlement limits so that can decide what they can put there, depending on the market at the time,” Gibbons said.“It’s a great location, especially when Ridge Road goes through, which will give you access across the county.“ Florida Hospital — which operates local hospitals in Wesley Chapel, Zephyrhills and the University of South Florida area of Tampa — owns about 34 acres of land in the county, purchased by University Community Hospital Inc., before that hospital chain was acquired by Florida Hospital’s parent. It was part of a $5.1 million land
FILE PHOTO
As Connerton continues to grow just north of Land O’ Lakes, entrances from U.S. 41 and State Road 52 will have to be improved, Pasco County officials say.
deal the hospital put together in October 2007, just as the housing market was starting to come apart. For the second phase of Pasco’s “new town,” Connerton is looking to focus a little more on multifamily, with about a third of the proposed residential in that phase taking that route.The first phase was primarily
single-family homes, with approvals for nearly 4,000 homes. The second phase also would include Connerton’s employment center, which will be a mix of government, office, industrial and medical. “This is an example of how Connerton always has been designed,” said Andrea Zelman, an attorney who represents the community.“We are on the road to creating those jobs.” But to do that, some of the roads in and around Connerton will need to be upgraded. That would include turn lanes for the entrances off U.S. 41 and State Road 52, and also finishing the link with Collier Parkway that has been on the drawing board for years. Pasco’s chief assistant county attorney David Goldstein put emphasis on the stretch of Collier Parkway, proposed to link from Ehren Cutoff, calling it a “crucial piece of roadway that we cannot ignore much longer.” “I wanted to make sure the county people up here understand the importance of doing something about Collier Parkway,” Goldstein told the committee.“We have to find a way to build that missing gap of Collier, and get that connected up to the employment center.” However, not everyone is for expanding Collier. Stephen Coogle, who owns a 6-acre home on Ehren Cutoff bordering the Connerton project, said neighbors to the development deserve more attention to ensure they don’t lose value in their homes. “We need to have buffers,” Coogle said, which could come primarily by preserving existing tree lines that border his property. Also, drainage from a Collier Parkway extenSee CONNERTON, page 7A