A local Pinellas organization, JWB, is partnering with libraries across the county to provide development and learning resources to families. Their Turbo Babies Pit Crew bags are available for free at 14 Pinellas County libraries. 

Turbo Babies was created to foster early connections, nurture babies’ drive to learn, and support parents. Recently, one of the resources they began offering are Pit Crew bags–a free bag with a book, a toy, and teaching tips for parents. 

Elicia Hinson, the Associate Manager of Marketing for Turbo Babies, says parents are a child’s first teacher. 

“80% of brain growth happens in the first three years of life, and so we want parents to know it’s a really crucial time for that baby’s learning and development,” said Hinson. “We want parents to have those connections with that child, so the child has a trusted caregiver. That makes such a big difference in how a child’s brain forms.”

Peggy Matthes, an assistant youth services librarian at the Barbara S Ponce Library, says these bags have been a huge help for parents. 

“For us, it kind of is a physical resource that we pass on to the parents and then the parents have something that they can kind of go through and get ideas from because everybody’s just like, ‘oh, let’s have the babies; let’s start a family,’ but they don’t come with any instructions,” said Matthes. 

Where you can get a bag

• Clearwater Main Library – 100 N Osceola Ave, Clearwater, FL 33755
• Dunedin Public Library – 223 Douglas Ave, Dunedin, FL 34698
• East Lake Community Library – 4125 E Lake Rd S, Palm Harbor, FL 34685
• Gulf Beaches Public Library – 200 Municipal Dr, Madeira Beach, FL 33708
• Gulfport Public Library – 5501 28th Ave S, Gulfport, FL 33707
• Largo Public Library – 120 Central Park Dr, Largo, FL 33771
• Oldsmar Public Library – 400 St Petersburg Dr E, Oldsmar, FL 34677
• Palm Harbor Public Library – 2330 Nebraska Ave, Palm Harbor, FL 34683
• Pinellas Park Barbara S. Ponce Library – 7770 52nd St N, Pinellas Park, FL 33781
• Safety Harbor Public Library – 101 2nd St N, Safety Harbor, FL 34695
• Seminole Community Library – 9200 113th St N, Seminole, FL 33772
• St. Petersburg President Barack Obama Main Library – 3745 9th Ave N, St. Petersburg, FL 33713
• St. Pete Beach Public Library – 365 73rd Ave, St Pete Beach, FL 33706
• Tarpon Springs Public Library – 138 E Lemon Street, Tarpon Springs, FL 34689

For more information on Turbo Babies, visit turbobabies.com.

View the article and listen to the segment as originally published at https://www.wmnf.org/pinellas-organization-turbo-babies-offers-free-learning-bags/.

The Juvenile Welfare Board of Pinellas County is racing into local libraries with a purpose for families. Turbo Babies “Pit Stops” are now open with brain-boosting bags for kids three and younger.

See all of the Pit Stops at Turbobabies.com/Libraries.

View the segment as aired at https://www.fox13news.com/video/fmc-123naioyawiwbni1

JWB Interim CEO Michael Mikurak joined Joe Hamilton on a recent episode of the Impact Catalyst podcast to discuss the free digital safety tools from Parent ProTech that JWB has made available to Pinellas families to protect their children online.

Cyberbullies, human traffickers, and online predators can enter homes 24/7 through a child’s phone, computer, or gaming device. Left unchecked, it’s as risky as leaving a child’s bedroom window open or your front door unlocked.

“There’s a growing gap between what parents know about technology and how their children actually use it,” stated Michael Mikurak, Interim CEO of the Juvenile Welfare Board of Pinellas County (JWB). “Studies tell us that kids average 8 to 11 hours on their devices each day, and online crimes against children are up as well. That’s why JWB launched a groundbreaking initiative to safeguard children online and equip families with vital support.”

Watch Episode 125 of the Impact Catalyst podcast below, and claim your free Parent ProTech subscription at app.parentprotech.com/jwb.

Impact Catalyst #125 – Mike Mikurak – Juvenile Welfare Board

A routine staff appreciation event at Freedom Lake Park shifted into a moment of recognition April 24 when the Juvenile Welfare Board of Pinellas County honored Gena Calisch with the first KidsFirst Cooperman-Bogue Award of 2026.

Calisch, a Family Support Specialist with Healthy Families Pinellas, has spent more than a decade working directly with parents in their homes, helping them build safer environments, strengthen parenting skills and support healthy child development. The award recognizes frontline professionals whose work creates lasting impact for children and families across the county.

Colleagues cheered as Calisch was surprised during the National Home Visiting Week celebration. The recognition places her among a select group of professionals acknowledged for going beyond traditional service delivery to build trust and stability within families.

“I’m incredibly honored and honestly a little overwhelmed,” Calisch said in a prepared statement. “This work is about the families and the children we serve every day. Being able to walk alongside them as they grow stronger and more confident is the greatest reward.”

Calisch’s role centers on one-on-one engagement with families, often in complex or high-stress environments. From a service delivery perspective, home visiting programs operate at the intersection of prevention and capacity building. They are designed not only to respond to immediate needs but to shift long-term outcomes by equipping parents with tools, knowledge and confidence.

Her colleagues say her impact extends well beyond scheduled visits. Program Manager Christy Robinson, who nominated Calisch, described her as a consistent presence for families navigating challenges.

“She builds trust with families, helps them find their voice and gives them the tools to succeed,” Robinson said. “The impact she makes can be seen in stronger families and brighter futures for children in Pinellas County.”

Within Healthy Families Pinellas, Calisch mentors new home visitors, leads parent support groups and helps colleagues manage the emotional demands of working in intensive family support settings. That peer leadership function is often less visible but remains critical to program continuity and staff retention in high-touch service environments.

JWB Interim CEO Michael Mikurak said the award reflects the broader importance of frontline professionals in shaping community outcomes.

“Professionals like Gena are the reason our community is stronger,” Mikurak said. “She represents the very best of what it means to put children first, doing the hard, meaningful work every day, often without recognition.”

The KidsFirst Cooperman-Bogue Award has been presented for more than 30 years. It is named after JWB founders Leonard Cooperman and Juvenile Judge Lincoln C. Bogue, who helped establish the organization through legislation in 1945. The recognition highlights individuals whose work aligns with JWB’s long-standing focus on early childhood development, abuse prevention and family stability.

Calisch is the first of four honorees to be named this year. Additional recipients will be announced in the coming months and recognized at the organization’s 80th Anniversary KidsFirst Awards Luncheon, scheduled for Oct. 23 at the St. Petersburg Coliseum. Each honoree receives a $1,000 award.

Established by voter referendum in 1946, the organization remains one of the only entities of its kind in the country, funded through a dedicated property tax. Today, JWB invests more than $128 million annually in programs that serve tens of thousands of children and families.

Programs like Healthy Families Pinellas reflect a preventive model that aims to reduce long-term system strain by intervening early and consistently.

More information about the Juvenile Welfare Board and its programs is available at JWBPinellas.org.

Read the article as originally published at https://stpetecatalyst.com/juvenile-welfare-board-honors-home-visitor–gena-calisch/

April is Home Visiting Month, highlighting how home visitors strengthen families — supporting parent and child health and helping prevent child abuse. April 20–24 is National Home Visiting Week, and the Juvenile Welfare Board is and celebrating the impact home visitors make every day.

Home Visiting Month coincides with National Child Abuse Prevention Month. That’s intentional — underscoring home visiting as a proactive, non-judgmental way to prevent crises. Home visiting professionals work alongside families to build confidence and self-sufficiency. Utilizing a variety of research-based models, they strengthen parenting skills, share early childhood development and school-readiness best practices, help children build resilience and life skills, and connect families to support.

JWB is highlighting two JWB-funded programs serving Pinellas families:

• Truancy Intervention Prevention Services (TIPS): The TIPS program offered by Bethel Community Foundation is a prevention-based model that serves youth ages 8-17 who face school-related challenges, including habitual truancy and other unmanageable behaviors. Through personalized case management and support services, including home visits, TIPS helps families navigate these challenges with dignity and respect.

• Family Center on Deafness (FCD): FCD is a nonprofit providing services specifically for deaf and hard-of-hearing (D/HH) residents of Pinellas County. They offer specialized services and staff trained in American Sign Language and experienced working with the D/HH population. FCD’s programs and services are geared toward empowering D/HH individuals and their parents/guardians/households; they work with the entire family. Programming includes parent and infant activities (birth-5); after-school, full-day, and summer camp programming for elementary, middle, and high school students; and enrichment and leadership programming. Additional after-school support for school-age youth is provided through individual tutoring, group tutoring, literacy activities, and sign language instruction. These programs are designed to positively impact youth participants’ self-esteem and strengthen their learning capabilities.

Read the article as originally published at https://www.tbnweekly.com/pinellas_county/article_55d2327f-5695-417b-b460-cfb07ad72733.html

Fox 13 News covered the Turbo Babies’ drive to deliver Pit Crew bags to Pinellas County libraries for National Library Week (April 19-25). Bags filled with brain-building activity items and Turbo Tips are available in English and Spanish for 0 to 1-year-olds, 1- to 2-year-olds, and 2- to 3-year-olds for free at your local library. Find your nearest Pit Stop here: Turbobabies.com/Libraries

Watch the segment in its entirety below:

Free baby bags will be available at libraries across Pinellas County in honor of National Library Week.

The county’s Juvenile Welfare Board partnered with the Public Library Cooperative to offer families “pit crew” bags for babies under three years old.

The free bags include books, toys, and brain-boosting activities.

The stops will be available at the following locations:

• Clearwater Main Library – 100 N Osceola Ave, Clearwater, FL 33755
• Dunedin Public Library – 223 Douglas Ave, Dunedin, FL 34698
• East Lake Community Library – 4125 E Lake Rd S, Palm Harbor, FL 34685
• Gulf Beaches Public Library – 200 Municipal Dr, Madeira Beach, FL 33708
• Gulfport Public Library – 5501 28th Ave S, Gulfport, FL 33707
• Largo Public Library – 120 Central Park Dr, Largo, FL 33771
• Oldsmar Public Library – 400 St Petersburg Dr E, Oldsmar, FL 34677
• Palm Harbor Public Library – 2330 Nebraska Ave, Palm Harbor, FL 34683
• Pinellas Park Barbara S. Ponce Library – 7770 52nd St N, Pinellas Park, FL 33781
• Safety Harbor Public Library – 101 2nd St N, Safety Harbor, FL 34695
• Seminole Community Library – 9200 113th St N, Seminole, FL 33772
• St. Petersburg President Barack Obama Main Library – 3745 9th Ave N, St. Petersburg, FL 33713
• St. Pete Beach Public Library – 365 73rd Ave, St Pete Beach, FL 33706
• Tarpon Springs Public Library – 138 E Lemon Street, Tarpon Springs, FL 34689

Leaders say the early years of a child’s life are the most important in their development.

“Zero to three is the most important part of their life because that’s when their brain grows,” JWB Interim CEO Mike Mikurak said. “That’s when 80% of whatever is going to happen for them is happening. And the more we nurture them in that period of time, the better they’ll be able to cope and become part of the community.”

“In libraries, we promote play, read, sing, write,” St. Petersburg Library System Librarian Mandy Morris said. “These are the same types of things that Turbo Babies is promoting.”

View the segment as originally published at https://www.wfla.com/news/pinellas-county/turbo-babies-pit-stops-available-at-pinellas-county-libraries/amp/

In a state where balmy weather, miles of beaches and endless swimming pools draw millions of vacationing families a year, here’s a fact some Floridians may not know:

Children with autism can be drawn to water.

Our country sees more than 4,000 unintentional drowning deaths a year, and it’s no surprise that Florida consistently ranks high. More children ages 1-4 die from drowning than from any other cause, and it’s the second leading cause of death by unintentional injury for children ages 5-14.

And studies show that people with autism have a dramatically higher risk.

Autism — formally, Autism Spectrum Disorder — appears in the first three years of a child’s life, is categorized as a developmental disability, and can cause communication and behavioral challenges, including sensory sensitivities. One in 31 children is diagnosed with autism, and millions of adults are considered to be on the spectrum.

Why water?

For someone with sensory sensitivities, the visual andtactile aspects of water may be soothing. For a person who can get overwhelmed by the noise, lights and movement that are part of an ordinary day, the feeling of being submerged may muffle all that commotion and help regulate anxiety. Even the smell of water, such as saltiness or chlorine, may attract someone with autism.

For the tourist-friendly Sunshine State, knowing the connection between water and autism is power and, potentially, prevention. And it’s only one of the many reasons for better understanding autism.

The Juvenile Welfare Board of Pinellas County, funded through a special taxing district to direct community investments to support children and families, recently became officially autism-certified under a global standard. That’s some fitting news for April, Autism Awareness Month.

Nearly every member of the organization’s professional staff took hours of training from the International Board of Credentialing and Continuing Education Standards on multiple facets of autism — the importance of early identification, understanding and supporting children with autism, comorbidities, parent perspectives and more. Then they passed the required test, putting the organization on the international map of places that serve children with autism.

This step, another investment in children, makes sense: The organization already funds autism-inclusive programs ranging from children’s mental health to early childhood success to caregiver support.

Education grows understanding. As the word “spectrum” implies, symptoms of autism come in different forms and vary in severity depending on the individual. There’s a saying that those who took the training got to know and believe: When you’ve met one person with autism, you’ve met one person with autism. Everyone is more than a diagnosis.

The Clearwater nonprofit LiFT — which stands for Learning Independence for Tomorrow and includes LiFT Academy for students with learning differences and neurodiversity — has also achieved autism certification. Mesa, Arizona; High Point, North Carolina; Palm Springs, California; and Dubai all saw the value in becoming autism certified.

Here at home, Clearwater is exploring becoming an autism-certified city. The Juvenile Welfare Board and LiFT are working to identify local partners in healthcare, public safety, education, workplace inclusion, hospitality, and recreation to help make it happen.

Understanding the connection between autism and water can potentially prevent tragedy, particularly when a child goes missing and seconds count. Even beyond that, a greater understanding of people with autism goes a long way toward creating a place where visitors and residents alike can feel welcome, seen, and safe.

Rebecca J. Albert is director of strategic initiatives for the Juvenile Welfare Board of Pinellas County. She serves as chairperson of the Child Death Review for the State of Florida and the Sixth Judicial Circuit.

Read the article as originally published at https://www.tampabay.com/viewpoints/2026/04/07/autism-spectrum-disorder-children-water-drowning-florida-tampa-pinellas/

Watch 10 Tampa Bay’s broadcast news segment celebrating a milestone for inclusion in our community, as JWB received the Certified Autism Center™ (CAC) designation from the International Board of Credentialing and Continuing Education Standards (IBCCES).