In a new Pinellas County partnership aimed at protecting children from online predators that is being described as “historic,” the Juvenile Welfare Board (JWB) is bringing together law enforcement, schools and child-welfare leaders to confront what they say is an escalating digital threat — and giving parents a free tool to help.

JWB Interim CEO Michael Mikurak announced Monday that the organization will offer every parent and caregiver in Pinellas County a free, one-year, bilingual subscription to Parent ProTech, an online training platform that explains emerging technologies, including artificial intelligence, and how predators exploit them

During JWB’s press conference, the Pinellas County Sheriff’s Office said they’re on track to investigate more than 100 child pornography just in the county alone by the end of the year.

Sheriff Bob Gualtieri said investigators frequently see cases escalate quickly. Experts also said children spend more time on their devices during school breaks, like those on the horizon over the next few weeks. 

Risks particularly grow with children spending copious amounts of unsupervised time online, Gualtieri said.

“Once they view that child pornography, it builds from there, and they begin reaching out, contacting kids, grooming kids,” Gualtieri said. “Then they contact them. Before you know it, we have a really, really bad situation.”

Pinellas County currently has about 1,800 registered sex predators and offenders, many of whom reoffend through online platforms. That reality has left parents frightened, Gualtieri said, especially as technology evolves faster than adults can keep up.

“They don’t know how Snapchat works and all these other things that these kids are like this, sitting in a restaurant on it talking about it,” he said. “Some of it is basic stuff like what are you doing and who are you talking to, but the parents have no familiarity with the breadth, the scope of what’s out there and what these kids have access to. They need to know what it is before they know how to control it.”

JWB’s new countywide subscription to Parent ProTech will focus heavily on artificial intelligence — an area where educators say risks are climbing sharply.

“Students using A.I. Chatbots as emotional companions and relationship substitutes and the alarming rise across the nation where these tools have encouraged self-harm and advised children to hide things from their parents,” Ashby Green, chief financial officer of Parent ProTech said.

“We need to educate without assuming an A.I. Chatbot can do all the things for us,” Kevin Hendrick, the Pinellas County School Superintendent, added.

The Juvenile Welfare Board (JWB) of Pinellas County is fully funding the program to ensure access for all families.

“Lots of children are being protected and supported by their grandparents who have no clue,” JWB Interim CEO, Michael Mikurak, said. “They’re barely able to use their phones, let alone think about what’s being used on the computers.”

Law enforcement is urging parents to be especially vigilant this holiday season, when many children receive devices like video game systems, computers or smartphones that allow them to communicate with strangers.

The launch of the program comes as Gov. Ron DeSantis promotes what he calls an “A.I. Bill of Rights,” aimed at countering what he described as an unregulated rise in artificial-intelligence dangers.  Florida’s legislative session begins in January.

See the full news coverage as originally published at https://www.wtsp.com/article/news/local/pinellascounty/pinellas-county-parent-protech-historic-online-children-protection-online-predators/67-f2f4d125-29d2-4143-8c6a-0999e33c7a64

Tampa Bay 28 covered JWB’s December 8 press conference announcing a groundbreaking initiative to safeguard Pinellas County children online and equip families with vital support.

JWB is offering all Pinellas County parents, grandparents, and concerned citizens a free annual subscription to Parent Protech where they will find the latest expert tools to navigate their child’s technology safely.

Parent ProTech’s vast online library includes videos and guides on topics like parental controls, social media, AI, and more. Plus, their experts keep pace with developing digital trends, alerting families to new, emerging dangers on their child’s devices.

Superintendent Kevin Hendrick, also a JWB Board Member, spoke of Pinellas County Schools’ commitment to sharing this resource with their parents and parent groups, utilizing their communication channels, family liaisons, counselors, and more to help get this invaluable resource to Pinellas families.  

Watch the news segment here:

The Juvenile Welfare Board of Pinellas County and Pinellas County Sheriff’s Office introduced a new free program that will help protect children from cyber crimes.

The Juvenile Welfare Board has teamed up with the sheriff’s office to combat cyberbullies, human traffickers, and online predators by offering a free annual Parent Protech subscription to parents, grandparents and caregivers.

The initiative “safeguards Pinellas County children while online and equips families with vital support as students approach the holiday break, a time marked by increased device usage,” the sheriff’s office said.

To learn more about the program, visit app.parentprotech.com/jwb.

View the video segment and article as originally published at https://www.wfla.com/news/pinellas-county/pinellas-county-sheriffs-office-introduces-free-program-to-protect-children-from-cyber-crimes/amp/

As students prepare to swap classrooms for living rooms during the upcoming holiday break, local officials are warning that the most dangerous place for a child, may be sitting right in the palm of their hand. In a direct response to rising digital threats, the Juvenile Welfare Board (JWB) and the Pinellas County Sheriff’s Office launched a massive initiative on Monday to give every family in the county free access to cyber security tools. 

The partnership, which includes tech safety platform, Parent ProTech, aim to secure devices before the inevitable spike in screen time that a company school vacations.

Effective immediately, the JWB is covering the cost for all Pinellas County parents, grandparents, and citizens to access a full year of Parent ProTech.

The platform serves as a dynamic resource library, offering video guides on setting up parental controls and navigating complex topics like artificial intelligence, social media, trends, and hidden apps used by predators.

During the announcement, JWB interim CEO Michael Mikurak drew a sharp contrast between the threats of the past and the digital reality of 2025.

“When JWB was created 80 years ago, ‘stranger danger’ meant someone in a van offering candy to lure children away,” Mikurak said. “Today, cyber bullies, human traffickers, and online predators can enter homes 24/7 through a child’s phone, computer, or gaming system, putting them in imminent danger.”

Sheriff Bob Gualtieri reinforced the urgency of the program, using a stark analogy for parents who leave devices unmonitored. “It’s like leaving your child’s bedroom window open, or your doors unlocked,” Gualtieri said. “Together, let’s put online predators on notice.”

The push for digital safety is driven by data that paints a concerning picture of modern childhood. Studies cited by the coalition indicate that children are averaging between 8 and 11 hours of screen time daily, a figure that often climbs when school is out.

Beyond the immediate risk of predation, the initiative is a component of the JWB’s broader Children’s Mental Health Initiative. Officials pointed to research correlating high social media use with a rise in cyberbullying and youth suicide. Data shows suicide rates among children aged 10 to 14 shot up by 95% between 2000 and 2018, a crisis the U.S. Surgeon General has linked to the digital environment.

The program is designed to move beyond simple warnings by providing actionable tools that evolve as fast as technology does. Parent ProTech updates its subscribers on emerging digital dangers, ensuring parents aren’t fighting yesterday’s battles.

Residents looking to utilize the resource can create their free account immediately by visiting app.parentprotech.com/jwb.

Read the article as originally published at https://www.tampafp.com/pinellas-county-leaders-unite-to-hand-families-free-defense-against-online-predators/

The Boys & Girls Clubs of the Suncoast worked with St. Petersburg Housing Authority (SPHA) to open a new community food pantry at Jordan Park. The Jordan Park Community Food Pantry gives residents consistent access to groceries and household essentials during a time of financial uncertainty.

“This food pantry represents more than just access to essential groceries; it symbolizes our commitment to creating opportunities for stronger communities,” said SPHA President and CEO Michael Lundy in a media release. “With uncertainty surrounding SNAP benefits, this pantry will help fill the gaps.”

Leadership and Collaboration

Jordan Park is St. Petersburg’s first African American housing community and the oldest federal public housing project in Florida. It was originally built between 1939 and 1941. 

The idea for the food pantry began with the Boys & Girls Clubs of the Suncoast. The team recognized the need through their after-school food program. According to the media release, SPHA Director of Social Services Kiara Lovett helped turn the vision into a weekly service.

“Having the pantry on-site eliminates many barriers,” Lovett said. “The pantry offers a sense of security for many households.”

A team of teens from the Boys & Girls Clubs of the Suncoast manages the pantry each week. They stock, organize, and assist residents, gaining leadership and service experience.

“I am elated to see this pantry making a positive impact here,” District 7 Council Member Corey Givens Jr. said in a media release. “Local government can find solutions that are culturally affirming and empower residents to take control of their health and well-being.”

Jordan Park Food Pantry

The pantry operates with support from community partners including Dole, St. Pete Free Clinic, the Juvenile Welfare Board of Pinellas County, Partnership for a Healthier America, and the Sodexo Stop Hunger Foundation.

The pantry operates every Thursday from 3-5 p.m. at the Jordan Park Clubhouse (1245 Jordan Park St. S., St. Petersburg).

For more information or assistance, contact SPHA or visit the Jordan Park Clubhouse during pantry hours.

Read the article as originally published at https://thegabber.com/new-jordan-park-food-pantry-helps-during-snap-crisis/

One in five kids will be bullied in school, and of those kids, close to half think it will happen to them again. 

Over the summer in Pinellas County, there was such an increase in kids needing help that the Children’s Home Network’s Pinellas Support Team was expanded to take on more students.

Students like 12-year-old Elwood Rogers, who is in the sixth grade. 

Last school year was very tough for him.

“In fifth grade, kids started calling me more names, and some of them almost put their hands on me if I didn’t run away from them quick enough,” said Rogers. 

Rogers was bullied. He is autistic, and it got so bad his mom, Amy Wright, reached out to teachers. 

“You don’t want to hear this type of stuff going on, you know, and it breaks your heart and you think, ‘Gosh, what else can you do?'” said Wright. “You think, ‘Should I change schools or whatever?'”

Wright said administrators did step in, suggesting Rogers and those involved receive mental health counseling through the Pinellas Support Team (PST). 

“So we provide in-home and in-school services for kids who are having behavioral and emotional issues,” said Carol Hajdinak, a community counseling programs director at the Children’s Home Network. 

PST connected Rogers with a licensed clinical social worker, Ginger Wells. 

Rogers admits that at first, the thought of therapy didn’t sit well with him. 

“I honestly thought it was going to be like an invasion of personal space,” said Rogers. “But then when the whole thing actually started, I thought it was more fun than I could have ever imagined.”

Over cards and other games, Wells and Rogers talked about the bullying that Rogers was experiencing. 

“Some of the things that we worked on was learning how to express himself appropriately, using language that is appropriate and won’t get him in trouble and then also seeking help if it’s beyond his ability to handle himself,” said Wells. 

The PST program is not new — it’s been around for 20 years helping Pinellas County kids. 

“We’re funded to provide services to 250 kids a year,” said Hajdinak. 

She added that this year the PST program was inundated with bullying referrals to the point kids were on a waiting list. 

The PST program organizers turned to the Juvenile Welfare Board of Pinellas County, which funds the program. 

Hajdinak said they asked to expand the program from 250 to 300 kids. 

“They were gracious enough to provide us some additional funds so that we didn’t have long waiting lists of like, 35 people waiting for services,” said Hajdinak. “Currently, we still have some on the waiting list.”

Rogers is a success story to a problem that is not going away. 

“I’d say, you know, I don’t know the exact statistic, but I say the vast majority of kids that I work with at some point have experienced bullying,” said Wells. 

For Rogers, therapy has worked tremendously. 

“You shouldn’t let these other people define who you are. You need to be who you need to be,” said Rogers. “If other people don’t like you, womp womp, too bad. Too bad. It’s not my fault that I’m who I am. I’m not changing myself for you. Womp, womp.” 

A new mantra for Rogers: “Womp, womp.” It is his way of putting bullying in its place. 

The Pinellas Support Team services are short term, helping kids for three months. 

The Children’s Home Network says it is also meant to help families without health insurance, or those who have barriers to obtain needed services, like a high co-pay.

Watch the segment and read the article as originally published at https://baynews9.com/fl/tampa/news/2025/11/02/bullying-pinellas-support-team