Manatee County has been selected to participate in a White House summit next week focused on addressing homelessness and substance use disorders, reflecting federal recognition of the county’s local response.
Outreach Case Manager Angie Sciarrone and District 2 Commissioner Amanda Ballard will represent the county at the “Best Practices for Addiction Treatment within Homelessness” summit in Washington, D.C., scheduled for April 13–14.
Manatee County is among 25 agencies nationwide invited to contribute to the discussion.
The invitation places Manatee County in a federal forum shaping housing and behavioral health policy.
The summit will convene policymakers, health professionals and service providers to identify effective treatment strategies for individuals experiencing both homelessness and addiction. Organizers plan to use the findings to develop a national toolkit to guide other communities.
Manatee County’s inclusion reflects its approach to coordinating services across outreach, shelter, behavioral health and recovery programs.
“In Manatee County, we’ve been very intentional about building an ecosystem of support by creating a coordinated network of services rather than isolated programs,” Ballard said. “From outreach and shelter to behavioral health and recovery, this work is making a real impact.”
The county’s Community Health Program focuses on proactive outreach, connecting individuals to medical care, behavioral health support and long-term housing resources. The approach prioritizes continuity of care and measurable outcomes tied to stabilization.
“This is an opportunity to share what we’ve been building in Manatee County and to learn from others working in this space at the highest level,” Sciarrone said.
The summit comes as local governments across Florida face rising housing costs and increasing demand for behavioral health services, putting pressure on coordinated care systems. Participation places Manatee County within a national policy discussion that could shape future funding and program design.
The county has not disclosed whether additional federal partnerships or funding opportunities are tied to the invitation.
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