The Crisis Center of Tampa Bay has once again earned national recognition for its work connecting local residents with critical community resources.
The Tampa-based nonprofit recently announced that it has been reaccredited by Inform USA, formerly known as AIRS, for another five-year period. This marks the fourth time the Crisis Center has achieved this accreditation.
The accreditation process took 12 months and included five phases designed to evaluate the organization’s ability to provide accurate, reliable and effective information and referral services.
The review included a consultant’s assessment of the agency’s compliance with national standards, a detailed examination of its resource database, a ‘secret shopper’ evaluation, a survey of organizations listed in the database and a virtual site visit.
For local residents facing challenges such as food insecurity, utility assistance, mental health concerns or other crises, the Crisis Center serves as a central point of connection to available services.
Residents can access the organization’s information and referral services by dialing 211.
“The Crisis Center of Tampa Bay is the community’s gateway to connect to resources when they are facing life’s challenges,” said Clara Reynolds, president and CEO of the Crisis Center of Tampa Bay. “Achieving the Inform USA accreditation confirms that we are maintaining best practices in providing information and referral services to our community.”
Inform USA accredits approximately 125 agencies across the United States and Canada. Accredited organizations include 211 providers, Aging and Disability Resource Centers and other specialized information and referral agencies.
The Crisis Center of Tampa Bay’s mission is to ensure that no one in the community has to face a crisis alone. In addition to its Gateway Contact Center, which provides 988 and 211 services, the organization operates several programs addressing crisis and trauma.
The Corbett Trauma Center provides trauma counseling and services for sexual assault survivors, while Success 4 Kids & Families supports families dealing with behavioral health challenges and recovery. The organization also operates TransCare, providing emergency ambulance services, behavioral health transportation, interfacility transportation and community paramedicine.
The Crisis Center of Tampa Bay is located at 1 Crisis Center Plaza in Tampa and serves residents throughout the Tampa Bay area.
For more information about the Crisis Center and its services, visit www.crisiscenter.com.
