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Pinellas agency's ex-director founddead

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By JOSE PATINO GIRONA

jpatino@tampatrib.com

Published: October 27, 2009

TAMPA - The founder and former head of Clearwater-based Gulf Coast Jewish Family Services was found dead last week in a Valdosta, Ga., hotel room in an apparent suicide.

Michael Bernstein's body was discovered at a Super 8 on Wednesday after hotel workers went into the room, said Lt. Aaron Kirk of the Valdosta Police Department.

Bernstein was found lying on the bed, apparently from a self-inflicted gunshot wound, Kirk said.

Bernstein founded Gulf Coast Jewish Family Services and built it into a $32 million-a-year private social services agency.

He resigned this month.

Bernstein's resignation came two months after the Florida Department of Education forced Jewish Family Services to refund $130,931 that auditors say the charity improperly billed the state for a vocational rehabilitation jobs program based in Miami.

A departing employee alerted charity managers to irregularities involving billing and paperwork in January. Bernstein notified the state in March after an internal investigation confirmed numerous problems.

The agency gets 93 percent of its funding from government tax dollars.

"We have been made aware of the death of Michael Bernstein who served our organization for 31 years," David Abelson, Gulf Coast Jewish Family Services board chairman, said Monday. "We are shocked and saddened to learn this news.

"We will always be grateful for his vision for Gulf Coast Jewish Family Services and for the lives of approximately 30,000 clients served annually under his direction."

The organization declined further comment.

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