'Tampa Bay Connections' aimed at combating loneliness

Mayors coming together to help their communities

Three Tampa Bay area mayors are coming together in support of a new initiative aimed at reducing loneliness ? something organizers call a "growing public health crisis." Lloyd Sowers reports.

TAMPA, Fla. - Three Tampa Bay area mayors are coming together in support of a new initiative aimed at reducing loneliness – something organizers call a "growing public health crisis."

Big picture view:

The Tampa Bay Connections campaign is led by Tampa Bay Thrives, a coalition that works to improve mental health and community unity throughout the region.

It aims to map existing resources to help connect people in different work settings and demographics through experiences like volunteering.

The initiative will also advocate for increased funding for mental health programs across the Bay Area.

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By the numbers:

A recent study by Mental Health America took a deeper dive into the issue of loneliness, finding that nearly one in five adults feel lonely every day.

Researchers say the consequences of frequent isolation are as dangerous as smoking 15 cigarettes per day.

The study also focused on individual states, reporting that nearly 3 million adults in Florida have a mental illness – and more than half are not receiving treatment due to factors like cost and lack of access.

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What they're saying:

"At that point in my life I felt lonely and isolated. I felt like the world was against me, and I was a failure," said Thaddeus Bullard, otherwise known as Titus O’Neil, WWE global ambassador.

O'Neil and the mayors of the Bay Area's three largest cities – Tampa Mayor Jane Castor, St. Petersburg Mayor Ken Welch and Clearwater Mayor Bruce Rector – discussed their support of Tampa Bay Connections at an event on Wednesday. The three mayors helped launch Tampa Bay Connections

"Mental health underlies so many of the problems we deal with," said Welch.

"I think we're more aware of mental illness now, but we still have a long way to go. We need to still have, you now, a lot more in terms of just screening for mental illnesses and the medical offices. We need have more availability to mental health facilities and counselors, psychiatrists. You know it's a very big burden," Kimberly Channels, physician's assistant at Optum WellMed in New Tampa, said.

Castor suggested joining her Classroom Grandmothers program, where seniors help kids and teachers in schools. With hurricane season upon us, the mayors suggest saying hello to your elderly neighbor, making sure they have a plan.

It could make you both feel a deeper sense of community, which psychologists said is a key to solving loneliness.

What's next:

Beyond Wednesday's event, an advisory committee will be formed by representatives from each of the three cities, serving as the community voices for mental health needs in their areas.

For more information on Tampa Bay Connections, visit www.tampabaythrives.org.

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The Source: Information for this story was gathered by FOX 13's Regina Gonzalez.

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