Last month, the Hillsborough County Sheriff's Office (HCSO), Corrections Transitions Program, and Boys & Girls Clubs across Tampa Bay partnered with Safe & Sound Hillsborough to successfully facilitate an innovative and interactive "Consequences of Choices" workshop targeting teens ages 13-18.

The program is a component of the Safe & Sound Hillsborough Gun Violence Prevention Initiative that focuses on the importance of making good decisions and surrounding yourself around positive influences and people. Let's Partner! Learn More

The RC continues to be a catalyst for change in the lives of our youth. In the month of July, 19 youth participated in programming that included anger management, life skills, workforce/job skills training and mentoring.

100 percent of the youth completed the program successfully without incident, and the recidivism rate continues to stay well below the state average.

The goal of the Reporting Center (RC) is to deliver educationally focused programming and services with structured activities (pursuant to a youth’s court order) that prevent recidivism and ensure continued participation in any resources offered.

Youth are court ordered to attend the RC and must live in Hillsborough County, have committed a non-violent offense and cannot be a danger to themselves or the community.

Gun violence has continued to plague our community. In just the first half of 2022, we have eclipsed the number of shootings in all of 2021. No organization can solely tackle this issue alone. It is up to all of us to come together to make a significance difference to ensure our community is safe and sound.

In response to this critical problem, Safe & Sound Hillsborough and New Mt. Zion Missionary Baptist Church hosted a Gun Violence Prevention Collaborative Workshop bringing together elected officials, law enforcement agencies, our faith based community and resident stakeholders to provide input and carry out a strategic plan in partnership with the Board of County Commissioners to implement programming addressing 4 major components: prevention education & awareness, a community response team, youth gun offender program, and collaborative community programming.

The collaborative will meet at least twice a month in their committees (based on the 4 components) and then collectively to provide updates and planning for program implementation into the community.

To become a part of this collaborative, submit an interest form today!

Congratulations to Safe & Sound Hillsborough's Program Administrator Rosalie Smith on being a member of Leadership Hillsborough's 2022 graduating class!

Leadership Hillsborough provides development opportunities to Hillsborough County professionals who seek to grow as leaders and expand their knowledge of the diverse dynamics, issues, challenges and opportunities that impact their work and our community.

The 10-month long program runs September through June. 

Safe & Sound Hillsborough in partnership with the Children's Board of Hillsborough County is offering FREE Adult and Youth Mental Health First Aid courses.

Learn how to identify, understand and respond to signs of mental health and substance use challenges among adults or children and adolescents ages 12-18. Registration is required. Learn More

#SafeSoundHillsborough | www.SafeandSoundHillsborough.org