A culture that prioritizes community health, wellness, and safety with equitable access to a range of high-quality, holistic resources enabling everyone to lead productive, fulfilling lives.
Polk Vision’s community health and well-being initiatives focus on protecting and improving the physical, mental, and social health as well as the safety of people living in Polk County. The integrated process looks beyond medical care to address the everyday social, economic, and environmental factors that shape a community.
Behavioral & Mental Health professionals for every 100,000 residents, lower than the state average
(U.S. Census FY 2021-2024)
of Polk County households are food insecure, above the state average.
(Feeding America)
miles of new concrete sidewalks and asphalt multi-use paths with direct connections to schools have been funded by Polk County over the past 7 years, totaling nearly 40.4 million dollars.
(Polk TPO)
of traffic fatalities involved pedestrians or cyclists in Polk County last year
(Signal 4 Analytics)
The Polk Vision Behavioral Health LEADS Team is a collaborative network of cross-agency stakeholders including all the major mental healthcare providers serving Polk County. Their work is focused on aligning resources to impact systemic change in the identification, early intervention, and treatment of mental health and substance abuse across the county.
Associate Vice President of Behavioral Health Services
Lakeland Regional Health
Behavioral Health Program Manager
Health & Human Services Division, Polk County Board of County Commissioners
The Polk Vision Behavioral Health Team demonstrates what is possible when vision, compassion, and collaboration come together. Through innovation, strategic partnerships, advocacy, and education, the team continues to expand access to behavioral health resources, strengthen community connections, and improve the well-being of individuals and families throughout Polk County.
From convening community-wide conversations and advancing public awareness initiatives to supporting collaborative efforts with schools, healthcare providers, and community organizations, the team’s work helps create meaningful and lasting change. With constant focus on alignment and recruiting the team supports cost effective possibilities while increasing talent within the county. By fostering collaboration, reducing barriers, and championing solutions, the Behavioral Health Team continues to build momentum toward a healthier future for Polk County.
The dedication and collective expertise of this team serve as a powerful example of what can be achieved when organizations unite around a common purpose. Together, they are breaking down silos, increasing access to care, and creating hope for generations to come.
Associate Vice President of Behavioral Health Services
Lakeland Regional Health
Behavioral Health Team Co-Chair
Behavioral Health Program Manager
Health & Human Services Division, Polk County Board of County Commissioners
Behavioral Health Team Co-Chair
The Behavioral Health Strategic Plan Development and Sequential Intercept Mapping, published by Polk Vision in 2021, pointed to the breaking down of institutional silos as an essential step in achieving the systemic change necessary to improve outcomes. Guided by the study the Team focuses on:
The Polk County Public Schools Gap Analysis was performed during the 2023-2024 School Year with the purpose of improving mental health outcomes for youth in Polk County. The project focused on school students’ access to, and use of, services within the Polk County Public Schools (PCPS) district. The report contains a set of both structural and operational actionable strategies and guides the ongoing work between the Polk Vision Behavioral Health Team and Polk County Public Schools. This report serves as a basis for the work of the Polk County Public Schools Behavioral and Mental Health Collaborative Council.
A key initiative of the Team is the production of an Annual Behavioral Health Summit that brings together hundreds of community members, providers, and leaders to share resources, build partnerships, and advance mental wellness across Polk County.
The stigma surrounding mental health treatment is a major barrier that causes people to delay care, hide their struggles, and suffer in silence. It stems from negative social attitudes, the false idea that seeking help is a sign of weakness, and self-blame.
The #WhenYouKnow campaign was created to break down stigma by sharing real stories of struggle, recovery, and resilience — helping individuals feel seen, understood, and supported. You can view these stories and resources at www.whenyouknow.org.
Visit PCBHR.org, Polk County’s centralized behavioral health resource hub:
In FY 23–24, the rate per 100,000 of Behavioral/Mental Health Professionals in Polk County was 88.9 compared to Florida at 142.7.
Source: Baker Act data from the USF Baker Act Reporting Center (accessed via FLHealth CHARTS)
Food insecurity refers to a household’s inability to consistently provide enough food for every family member to live an active and healthy life. It is one of the primary measures used to assess hunger and identify populations at risk.
School nutrition programs, culinary and hospitality academies, and student-support initiatives like the HEARTH Project all intersect with the Council’s mission — reflecting how food security connects to the county’s broader network of care for children and families.
Food insecurity can affect individuals and families regardless of age, background, or location and may result from:
The effects of food insecurity extend beyond hunger, impacting physical health, mental well-being, educational achievement, workforce productivity, and overall quality of life.
Chief Operating Officer
United Way of Central Florida
Cooperative Extension Director
UF/IFAS Extension Polk County
Forty percent of food in the United States is wasted. Over 115,000 of our Polk County neighbors are food insecure and do not know where all their meals are coming from each week. This equates to over 29,000,000 missed meals in Polk County per year. The Food Security Council was formed in 2021 to provide leadership and commitment to collaborative alignment, areas where Polk Vision excels. Major areas of advancement include alignment between programs, resource mapping, focus on critical issues, policy and funding impacts, and nutrition and food safety education.
The Council has made incredible growth and accomplished many of its planned actions and priorities, but there is still lots of work to do!
The Polk County Food Security Council is convened by Polk Vision and United Way of Central Florida in partnership with the Florida Department of Health in Polk County and the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) Extension Polk County.
Composed of representatives from diverse sectors across the community, the Council works collaboratively to address food insecurity and ensure that all residents have equitable access to healthy, nutritious food. Through shared leadership, strategic partnerships, and data-informed decision-making, the Council identifies barriers to food access and develops sustainable solutions that strengthen the local food system.
The Food Security Council is committed to creating a community where everyone has reliable access to sufficient quantities of nutritious food needed to support a healthy and active life.
A Key Initiative of the Food Security Council is the Annual Hunger Action Summit. This annual Summit is a gathering of feeding partners, community leaders, nonprofit organizations, government agencies, educators, healthcare providers, and stakeholders committed to ending hunger in Polk County.
Addressing food insecurity requires coordinated action from organizations representing healthcare, education, government, nonprofit services, agriculture, emergency management, and community development. The Food Security Council serves as a collaborative network where partners align efforts, share resources, identify opportunities, and develop innovative strategies to improve food access throughout Polk County.
To support implementation of the Community Food Action Plan, the Council has established focused subcommittees that bring together subject matter experts and community partners around key priorities.
Council members serve on subcommittees that align with their expertise and interests, ensuring that partners can make meaningful contributions while advancing the Council’s strategic goals.
The Disaster Preparedness and Response Subcommittee works with community partners to identify innovative solutions that reduce food access barriers before, during, and after emergencies.
Recognizing that disasters can significantly disrupt food distribution systems and place vulnerable populations at greater risk, the subcommittee focuses on strengthening coordination, preparedness, and response efforts across the county.
This includes seasonal tabletop training, special needs call-down drills, and readiness initiatives coordinated through Polk County Emergency Management.
The GIS Asset Mapping Subcommittee supports the development and maintenance of a countywide inventory of feeding resources — leading efforts to create and maintain a GIS-based map of food resources throughout Polk County, helping stakeholders gain a clearer understanding of existing services and identify gaps in access.
Supporting Strategy #1: Build Collaboration and Alignment, the Food Security Council hosts an annual gathering of feeding partners, community leaders, nonprofit organizations, government agencies, educators, healthcare providers, and stakeholders committed to ending hunger in Polk County.
The Hunger Action Summit provides an opportunity to:
The Summit will continue to serve as Polk County’s premier convening for food security collaboration, bringing together organizations and community leaders dedicated to ensuring all residents have access to healthy, nutritious food.
The Polk County Food Security Council recognizes that lasting progress requires more than emergency food assistance alone. Through strategic partnerships, coordinated action, innovative problem-solving, and community engagement, the Council is building a stronger and more resilient food system for Polk County.
By bringing together leaders from multiple sectors and empowering members to contribute through targeted subcommittees, the Council continues to advance a shared vision: a Polk County where every individual and family has consistent access to healthy food and the opportunity to thrive.
The Polk Vision Transportation Safety LEADS Team is committed to advancing safer transportation systems across Polk County. In alignment with the Polk Transportation Planning Organization’s (TPO) Vision Zero Action Plan, the team works toward the goal of eliminating all traffic-related fatalities and serious injuries.
At the core of Vision Zero is the understanding that people make mistakes—whether driving, walking, or biking—and that those mistakes should not result in severe injury or loss of life.
The Team collaborates with local partners using a systems-based approach that prioritizes safer road design, education, enforcement and policy making.
The Transportation Safety Team partners with the Polk Transportation Planning Organization (TPO) to identify and evaluate sidewalk needs near public schools, with a focus on improving safety and connectivity for students who walk or bike to school.
Despite ongoing investments in pedestrian infrastructure, gaps in sidewalk networks remain a persistent challenge in many parts of the county. Missing sidewalks can make it difficult for students and families to safely access schools, parks, neighborhoods, and other community destinations.
Working together, the Transportation Safety Team and TPO assess sidewalk gaps and identify priority projects based on factors such as connectivity, accessibility, right-of-way considerations, and the potential to serve students and surrounding neighborhoods. Recommended projects are shared with state, county, and local agencies for funding consideration and future implementation.
The Sidewalk Advisory Committee plays an important role in reviewing sidewalk needs throughout Polk County and prioritizing projects for funding recommendations. The committee includes representatives from local government, transportation planning, public schools, public health, law enforcement, parks and recreation, engineering, and community organizations, ensuring a collaborative approach to improving pedestrian infrastructure across the county.
For more information about the Sidewalk Advisory Committee, visit: https://www.polkfl.gov/government/boards-and-committees/sidewalk-advisory-committee/
| Year | Bicyclists Severe Injuries | Bicyclist Fatalities |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 14 | 7 |
| 2024 | 25 | 3 |
| 2023 | 21 | 14 |
| 3-year average | 20 | 8 |
Source: Signal 4 Analytics/Polk TPO
| Year | Pedestrian Severe Injuries | Pedestrian Fatalities |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 24 | 16 |
| 2024 | 29 | 22 |
| 2023 | 34 | 26 |
| 3-year average | 29 | 21.33 |
Source: Signal 4 Analytics/Polk TPO
Source: Polk TPO
