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Asian Health Services’ proposed project aims to provide support services to survivors of anti-Asian hate and violence with a focus on trauma-informed mental health care and patient empowerment. Key interventions include: providing trauma-informed mental health services, wraparound care, cultural healing opportunities, senior escort program, communication and coordination with other violence prevention efforts, partnership programs, and youth mental health initiatives. The project seeks to promote cross-racial solidarity through partnership programs and youth mental health initiatives. Through the Asian-Black Racial Healing Project, AHS will partner with West Oakland Health Council to identify attitudes and perceptions about race, crime, and violence—and develop shared interventions rooted in culture, respect, and public health. The project aims to provide comprehensive support services to at least 100 patients and family members in Alameda County affected by anti-Asian hate, violence, or crime within the first year of funding. The project's success relies on its ability to provide services, forge alliances with key stakeholders, and promote cross-racial solidarity. AHS’ target population consists of Asian-American and Pacific Island (AAPI) communities that have been impacted by anti-Asian hate incidents and violence. AHS’ proposed project aims to (1) Provide comprehensive support services to survivors of anti-Asian hate and violence, with a focus on trauma-informed mental health care and patient empowerment; (2) Implement violence prevention initiatives, including a senior escort program and forging alliances with key stakeholders; and (3) Promote cross-racial solidarity through partnership programs and youth mental health initiatives. For Goal #1, the measurable objectives are: (a) Provide trauma-informed mental health services to at least 100 patients and family members affected by anti-Asian hate, violence, or crime within the first year of funding; (b) Provide wraparound care to at least 100 patients and their families, including case management, referrals, emergency financial assistance, and systems navigation services within the first year of funding; (c) Develop and disseminate a culturally competent support group curriculum to at least 50 community-based organizations, federally qualified health centers, and other partners within the first year of funding; and (d) Offer cultural healing opportunities such as yoga, tai chi, meditation, and more in multiple Asian languages to at least 100 individuals within the first year of funding. For Goal #2, the measurable objectives are: (a) Implement a senior escort program and pair at least 50 seniors impacted by anti-Asian violence with trained community advocates within the first year of funding; and (b) Improve communication and coordination with other violence prevention efforts, including law enforcement, City of Oakland’s Department of Violence Prevention, and community-based organizations through the convening of at least 5 meetings or events within the first year of funding. For Goal #3, the measurable objectives are: (a) Partner with West Oakland Health on the Asian-Black Racial Healing Project and identify opportunities for collaboration and develop intervention tools on violence prevention, mental health, and healing strategies within the first year of funding; (b) Create a central hub that promotes public health and racial justice by sharing impact stories, best practices, tools, lessons learned, and demonstration projects to inform interventions, policies, government agencies, and more; and (c) Expand the Youth Program Cross Cultural Solidarity Committee to provide additional opportunities for AAPI youth to deepen their understanding of cross-cultural issues and topics impacting the Black and Asian community as well as promote healing from intergenerational trauma, reaching at least 50 youth within the first year of funding.

The regular, at-home presence of a SASH Clinician has been shown, through quantitative and qualitative data evaluation over 3 years, to improve the health and wellbeing of the 200 residents participating in the Burlington pilot, and reduce unnecessary Emergency Room visits. This project will expand the mental health pilot across Vermont through SASH's existing regional delivery system built on formalized partnerships between SASH housing organizations and community based organizations including the Designated and Specialized Services Agencies, Home Health, Area Agencies on Aging, and Primary Care, to serve 1,200 unduplicated older adults and adults with disabilities residing in SASH affordable housing sites. Six full time SASH Clinicians, to be employed by six local community mental health designated agencies, will be embedded into the SASH teams comprising of a SASH care coordinator and wellness nurse (RN) in Chittenden, Rutland, Washington, Windsor, Windham, and Bennington counties and the Northeast Kingdom of VT. The SASH Clinician provides an array of services directed by participants including individual and couples therapy, short-term and ongoing psychosocial support, psychoeducation and process groups, and workshops; care coordination, and staff education. In addition to a focus on topics like managing anxiety or depression or dealing with grief, group programs target social isolation and loneliness. Education, support, and access to appropriate level of care treatment for substance use disorders is also provided. The project will also offer four Regional Mental Health Clinicians statewide who will lead public health approaches to lower barriers and support improved mental and emotional wellness throughout all SASH panels. They provide virtual and in-person education for participants and SASH staff, and support the SASH teams that will not have a SASH Clinician. Five overarching goals of the project include: 1. SASH Participants at program sites have access to and engage in expedited mental health supports, within 1-3 days of referral. 2. SASH Participants at program sites will experience decreased stigma associated with seeking mental health supports. 3. SASH Participants at program sites will experience fewer unnecessary Emergency Department visits over time and experience resiliency when health emergencies arise. 4. SASH Participants at program sites will experience a reduction in depression and anxiety over time. 5. SASH Staff will attain knowledge, confidence, tools and strategies aimed at improving mental wellbeing of participants in their panels.

Trauma-Informed Network of Care for Chicago’s South and Westsides (TIN for Chicago) The Primo Center (Primo) is seeking funding for an important new program, Trauma-Informed Network of Care for Chicago’s South and Westsides (TIN for Chicago). Primo is uniquely positioned to lead this work. They are the recognized expert in Chicago in providing trauma-based services to homeless families. What’s different about Primo is their holistic approach to assisting families and community members, providing environments that are trauma informed and sensitive – from the security and cleaning staff to the board, working from a strengths-based perspective is always a priority. The results are a staggeringly low lifetime recidivism to homelessness rate that is consistently under 5%. This program is a much-needed response to a nearly invisible population with high needs – homeless children in Chicago. Our most vulnerable children, homeless and exposed to trauma, face challenges beyond our imagination and at the same time, they are not the focus of critically needed services. Nowhere is childhood trauma more profound than what homeless children experience, yet we do not target necessary services to this population. According to the National Child Traumatic Stress Network (NCTSN), more than one-fifth of homeless preschoolers have emotional problems serious enough to require professional care, but less than one-third receive any treatment (2005). Early intervention is completely underutilized for homeless children and long overdue, despite the fact that they have twice the rate of learning disabilities and three times the rate of emotional and behavioral problems. And we know from research that by the time homeless children are eight years old, one in three has a major mental health disorder. As our nation steps back to consider how our history, policies and institutions have negatively impacted families of color, and particularly Black and Brown families, it is imperative that the most vulnerable populations are at the center of dialogue, program and funding opportunities. In 2019, 16,451 public school students in Chicago identified as homeless and over 80% of this population was either Black or Hispanic (Chicago Coalition for the Homeless, 2020). TIN for Chicago proposes to build on the capacity and capability of Primo’s family homeless services in Chicago to create environments that are responsive and sensitive to the historical and current trauma uniquely experienced by homeless families of color. The program will increase access to specialized, evidence-based trauma therapies through training professional and paraprofessional staff integrated with data and state-of-the art evaluation. By providing these services we expect to help families and children on their way to a healthier and more stable life in the community.

LIFE Camp will implement the Mobile Peace Unit Services Project (MPU Project) as a pilot program in neighborhoods throughout Southeast Queens most impacted by violent crime. The MPU Project is designed to support individuals impacted by gun violence to heal and thrive, by offering them free and equitable access to the Therapeutic Wellness Services (TWS), mental health services, and grief and trauma support services. LIFE Camp TWS and preventative programs have a trauma informed framework and high cultural competency. The MPU Project will bring TWS directly into communities who need it most and who typically do not access these services. An investment in TWS will increase community safety, life expectancy, quality of life, and allow for trauma informed care and practices in neighborhoods throughout Southeast Queens who need and want these services. LIFE Camp will provide services to school-aged youth and adults, working in partnership with local public middle and high schools, the police, and the community at pop-up and other neighborhood events. The MPU will also canvass locations that have recently experienced increased violence and will show up at emergencies. During the first two months of the MPU Project, LIFE Camp will hire new staff and purchase two new ‘Peacemobile’ vehicles. LIFE Camp will convene a project planning team comprised of LIFE Camp personnel, local community members, community-based organizations, schools, police and health and wellness professionals. At the end of the planning period, a detailed action plan will be completed with recommended locations for the MPU and associated services supported through this funding opportunity. During the planning period, the projected number of people served annually by the MPU Project in Southeast Queens will also be determined . The overarching goal of the MPU Project is to increase the capacity of LIFE Camp to provide more and new therapeutic wellness, mental health, grief, trauma and other services to individuals impacted by gun violence. This will be achieved by adding new staff and new therapeutic services and purchasing additional ‘Peacemobile’ vehicles. Other goals of the MPU Project are to increase community participation in pro-social activities in Southeast Queens and to decrease youth involvement in justice system via community violence interventions. It is also hoped that the MPU Project will result in increased youth school-based achievements in Southeast Queens. Life Camp was founded and is led by internationally renowned and widely respected peacemaker, Executive Director Erica Ford has been at the forefront of reduction and prevention of youth violence in New York City for 30+ years. .

Project funds will be used to support staffing and programming for CHKD’s Partial Hospitalization Program. The partial hospitalization program provides intensive day treatment as a step-down from acute hospitalization or a step-up from outpatient services for children and adolescents who have high, but not imminent, safety concerns or a significant disruption to emotional, behavioral, or social functioning. The goal of Partial Hospitalization is to stabilize patients who display escalated psychiatric conditions associated with a recent symptom escalation and decline in functioning, so that the patient’s mental health disorder can then be managed at a lower level of care. Patients attend this program Monday - Friday from 8:30 a.m. to 3:15 p.m. in a structured, therapeutic environment that offers individual, group, and family therapies as well as psychiatric management. Families are also provided support from program clinicians to work through challenges that may exist in the home environment. Discharge planning includes coordination of outpatient services to support each child’s continued progress toward goals and health. CHKD’s PHP only began seeing patients at the end of January, 2023. We are expecting to grow the program significantly over the next year to serve the demand in the community. CHKD has budgeted 2470 patient days for FY24 and the projected LOS is 4-6 weeks. We are anticipating on serving approximately 100 patients in FY24. The patient population served by the Partial Hospitalization Program shall consist of pediatric patients with any the following primary psychiatric/mental health diagnoses: • Gender Dysphoria; Bipolar and related disorders; Depressive disorders; Anxiety disorders; Obsessive-Compulsive and related disorders; Trauma and stressor-related disorders; Disruptive, impulse-control and conduct disorders; Feeding and eating disorders; Somatic symptom and related disorders; Neurocognitive disorders; or Such other existing psychiatric/mental health diagnoses that can be safely managed in a partial hospitalization setting. Description of Care, Treatment, Skills Acquisition, or Other Supports Provided: A. Partial Hospitalization Program represents an intensive outpatient level of psychiatric care delivered in a licensed clinic setting during the week. B. Multidisciplinary assessments and multimodal interventions are provided in a 40-hour per week secure, medically staffed, and psychiatrically supervised treatment environment. C. Active family/guardian/natural supports involvement is important. Legal guardians shall be included during evaluation and treatment and discharge planning unless contraindicated. D. Weekly contact between patients and the attending psychiatrist is required for this level of care. Not only will CHKD bring treatment to those who are currently forced to leave the area for care or, even worse, forego care, it will offer cutting-edge, individualized care for all of its Mental Health patients that isn’t available within the region today. CHKD’s program will be based primarily on cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), dialectical behavior therapy (DBT), parent-child interaction therapy (PCIT), family-based therapy for anorexia nervosa, and milieu therapy, as appropriate for the child. CHKD is committed to evidence-based practices to provide the highest quality of care. For all children in CHKD’s program, family counseling, engagement and involvement will be a centerpiece of their treatment experience. CHKD’s Partial Hospitalization Plan will support the Health System’s mission to provide a comprehensive continuum of services to ensure that children can access the most appropriate level of care in the community in which they reside, allow for earlier intervention, and reduce the need for inpatient hospitalization over time. CHKD outpatient services will be offered to patients requiring evaluation and evidence-based treatment that includes psychotherapy, pharmacotherapy, and care co

LIFE Camp will implement the Mobile Peace Unit Services Project (MPU Project) as a pilot program in neighborhoods throughout Southeast Queens most impacted by violent crime. The MPU Project is designed to support individuals impacted by gun violence to heal and thrive, by offering them free and equitable access to the Therapeutic Wellness Services (TWS), mental health services, and grief and trauma support services. LIFE Camp TWS and preventative programs have a trauma informed framework and high cultural competency. The MPU Project will bring TWS directly into communities who need it most and who typically do not access these services. An investment in TWS will increase community safety, life expectancy, quality of life, and allow for trauma informed care and practices in neighborhoods throughout Southeast Queens who need and want these services. LIFE Camp will provide services to school-aged youth and adults, working in partnership with local public middle and high schools, the police, and the community at pop-up and other neighborhood events. The MPU will also canvass locations that have recently experienced increased violence and will show up at emergencies. During the first two months of the MPU Project, LIFE Camp will hire new staff and purchase two new ‘Peacemobile’ vehicles. LIFE Camp will convene a project planning team comprised of LIFE Camp personnel, local community members, community-based organizations, schools, police and health and wellness professionals. At the end of the planning period, a detailed action plan will be completed with recommended locations for the MPU and associated services supported through this funding opportunity. During the planning period, the projected number of people served annually by the MPU Project in Southeast Queens will also be determined . The overarching goal of the MPU Project is to increase the capacity of LIFE Camp to provide more and new therapeutic wellness, mental health, grief, trauma and other services to individuals impacted by gun violence. This will be achieved by adding new staff and new therapeutic services and purchasing additional ‘Peacemobile’ vehicles. Other goals of the MPU Project are to increase community participation in pro-social activities in Southeast Queens and to decrease youth involvement in justice system via community violence interventions. It is also hoped that the MPU Project will result in increased youth school-based achievements in Southeast Queens. Life Camp was founded and is led by internationally renowned and widely respected peacemaker, Executive Director Erica Ford has been at the forefront of reduction and prevention of youth violence in New York City for 30+ years. .

This funding request seeks to provide Nonviolent Crisis Intervention Training and Facility-Specific Safety and Security Training for staff recruited for the Oklahoma Children’s Hospital Behavioral Health Center and Emergency Department expansion. This program will include 24 hours of training per staff member (370 FTEs) including 16 hours of Nonviolent Crisis Intervention (or similar) training and 8 hours of facility-specific security and safety training. The funding request also seeks funding for an NCI (or similar) “Train the Trainer” program that will allow for internal training programs, and a lead Security Educator position to manage this program. This funding request will cover the first four years of training in the facility as we onboard new staff members and services upon completion of construction.

The purpose of this project is to expand the capacity of (Brockton) Family and Community Resources' (FCR) licensed mental health clinic to address a critical community issue. There is a tremendous need for mental health services in our community and FCR seeks to double the capacity of its therapy services (currently at 3 FTE's) to meet the mental health needs of children, adolescents, and adults. Because Brockton is a majority minority city the problem is further defined that expanded mental health services address the need for multi-lingual clinicians. FCR is a non-profit organization that has provided services to the Greater Brockton community for over 50 years. FCR's mental health clinic was licensed by the MA Department of Public Health in 1977. It specializes in serving victims of trauma, with a focus on serving survivors of domestic violence and sexual assault. If funded, a total of three therapists will be hired--a child therapist, a therapist who serves adolescents, and an adult therapist. It is expected that each of these therapists will serve between 30 and 40 unique clients each year, with a ongoing caseload of 15-20 individuals. Once each therapist has a year to establish his/her practice within FCR, third party billing will be sufficiently robust to sustain each position. The intersection between domestic violence, mental health and substance abuse has been well documented. The progress of clients served will be evaluated on an ongoing basis. The overall goals of the project are to increase the well- being of individuals with mental health concerns and to increase the capacity in the Greater Brockton community to serve individuals with mental health concerns.

The Behavioral Health Vehicle (BHV) project at Children’s Health will assist children in the North Texas community experiencing a mental health crisis, enabling patients to be safely and quickly transported to inpatient and third-party intake facilities in the community. This initiative is in direct response to the delayed time to transfer pediatric psychiatric patients from Children’s Medical Center Dallas to contracted inpatient behavioral health beds at other facilities, including Perimeter Behavioral Hospital of Dallas and Haven Behavioral Hospital. The transfer of patients to inpatient facilities helps relieve emergency department (ED) boarding and ensures patients get access to timely, high-quality care in the most appropriate environment. BHVs allow for transport without waiting for ambulance or parent availability, speeding up the time to transport once a patient is accepted at an inpatient facility.

Project Name: AboutFace-USA Proactive Veteran Intervention and Recovery Program The population of focus: This effort builds upon known gaps in providing service and education accessibility for U.S. Veterans, their caregivers, and family members in the Atlanta VA Health Care System Area (in/around Forsyth, Dawson, N. Fulton, Cobb, Cherokee, Pickens, Lumpkin, Gwinnett, and Hall Counties). Summary Statement: Veterans in rural areas have 70% lower odds of receiving any mental health treatment. Multisectoral and innovative approaches are needed to increase the availability of services in rural Georgia while. AboutFace-USA and our collaborators will serve 570 Veterans in the first year to address Veteran health and well-being concerns by promoting job skills education, community, clinical services and access, peer support, and leadership training. Project Overview: To meet the study objectives, we will utilize a phased approach that maximizes the expertise of the community collaborators assembled for this project. During the first quarter, we will hire and train peer-support personnel, conduct screenings and referrals to community clinicians, recruit Veterans for agriculture training, and provide transportation to Veterans for their VA appointments. In quarters two through four, we will conduct program evaluations on our community partner’s programs, and continue to recruit, screen, and refer Veterans (N = 570). Key to sustaining our approach is leveraging the GROW (Gardening, Rehabilitation, Outreach, Wellness) program. Project GROW focuses on teaching Gardening to engage veterans and community participants while promoting nutritional and mental wellness. This portion of the program involves weekly education, outreach, and maintenance of equipment while promoting Rehabilitation and the use of learned skills based on the practice of mindfulness and evidence-based behavioral therapy/stress-management techniques. As part of our Outreach portion, we will conduct presentations to promote community connectivity, learn about community needs, and seek out struggling veterans (i.e., those experiencing homelessness, suicidal ideation, financial, and/or mental health concerns). Finally, we incorporate these pieces into a Wellness program where we focus on nutrition, clinical interventions, self-awareness training, relational concerns, holistic healing, and leadership coaching. Addressing Barriers Through Community Partnership: Biases and concerns for treatment-seeking often create barriers within communities, especially for behavioral health concerns. To address these barriers to care, AboutFace-USA will meet with and engage our community and civic leaders to convey the importance of community programming to identify veterans affected by behavioral health concerns. To ensure maximum outreach efforts, AboutFace-USA has partnered with investigators with the AMES Research Center at Kennesaw State University to provide project management and data collection/evaluation. PathLight Counseling will provide clinical services to Veterans. The Overton Institute will facilitate he implementation of “The Relational Communication Program and “The Storying Our Way Home programs.” The Azimuth Leadership organization will provide leadership training for Veterans under the T.E.A.M (Transition, Empowerment, Advocacy & Mindset) change model program. Carolyn Agosta, MSW will provide a mind-body connection for healing and transformation sessions for veterans and their families. LTC (Ret.) Jim Lindenmayer will provide community linkage between veterans and family members with mental health diagnoses and substance use diagnoses and other parties. He will also provide direct supportive housing services in the catchment area.

Compared to all other racial and ethnic groups in the U.S., Alaska Natives and Native Americans have the highest rates of suicide in the nation. As demonstrated by the Suicide Prevention Resource Center in 2020 and Center for American Indian Health in 2021, among others, locally informed and culturally based approaches that leverage strengths within Alaska Native and or Native American communities can significantly protect youth against suicide. The Rural Alaska Community Action Program, Inc., (RurAL CAP) Peer Mentor and Mental Health First Aide in Rural Alaska Project will build community capacity to support mental health and workforce development initiatives for young people, encouraging skill development to create a pipeline to needed community roles such as Behavioral Health Aids, Village Police Officers, school staff, and Tribal Government leaders. The project will support a cohort of approximately 10 Youth Peer Mentors and up to five Adult Mentors from up to seven rural Alaska communities to complete culturally responsive suicide prevention and mental health training. These trainings benefit each Mentor’s ability to create and facilitate safe places for difficult conversations with peers in their respective communities and refer community members to certified, professional health care providers if and as needed. The project pairs each Youth Peer Mentor with an Adult Mentor to ensure that youth have necessary support and processing mechanisms needed to be safe and supported. An estimated 100 people in rural Alaska will receive direct support from Mentors during this one-year project. The project goals are to 1) increase the capacity of the local community to reduce high-risk behaviors of youth that may contribute to self-harm and/or suicide and 2) decrease instances of youth self-harm and/or suicide by implementing a locally informed and peer-based program that addresses behaviors that may lead to harmful actions. Objectives to reach these goals include, but are not limited to, the following: develop formal agreements about capacity building with up to seven rural communities; train up to 10 rural youth and five rural adults on suicide prevention and mental health frameworks; Peer Mentors host up to 20 events to promote mental health awareness in their communities; Youth Peer Mentors successfully connect up to 100 peers in total across their communities to supportive mental health resources and/or methods. The Peer Mentor and Mental Health First Aide in Rural Alaska Project will benefit rural Alaska communities’ ability to create and sustain a healthy youth culture that will contribute to the reduction of self-harm and suicide rates. The project will go further by generating paths for youth and adults to advance from schooling into vital, high-demand workforce positions within their communities, contributing to social, mental, and emotional health as well as community-wide economic development across rural communities.

Leveraging East Bay Agency for Children’s (EBAC) 18-years providing student mental health counseling and family resource supports within Hayward Unified School District (HUSD), the Post-Covid Student and Teacher Recovery and Resilience Building project builds a sustainable infrastructure for 80 key HUSD school staff including Family Engagement staff, Coordination of Services Team members, Counselors, and Afterschool Managers to develop skills necessary to directly support and coach teachers and student-serving staff to 1) identify & address the social emotional needs of dysregulated students suffering from grief & trauma including in-classroom observation & coaching and 2) address their own trauma & anxiety to promote wellness. Students have been harmed by pandemic stress & isolation. Teachers struggle to cope with their own anxiety, address their students’ social-emotional needs, while reducing the learning gap. Alameda County data shows HUSD families are among the most negatively impacted by Covid. Hayward is facing a trifecta of risks to producing a healthy, educated next generation: the pandemic widened the learning gap for children from low-income communities of color; these children suffered economically and emotionally; and employment shifts post pandemic left schools under-staffed and remaining teachers stretched & stressed. Without resilience, teachers cannot be expected to remain in the profession & persevere through the challenges; while simultaneously helping to address the current childhood mental health crisis. This project is a collaboration between HUSD and EBAC. HUSD is the public school district serving Hayward, California. EBAC is a 501(c)3 non-profit with 70 years serving the mental health needs of Alameda County children and 7 years working with public agencies, regionally/nationally, implementing trauma-informed, system-wide transformative practices. Project goals: 1. Build knowledge & capacity of teachers & support personnel to recognize & address student trauma & grief exacerbated by Covid so these students can be connected to services 2. Build knowledge & capacity of teachers & support staff to recognize & regulate their own trauma & grief exacerbated by Covid 3. Build capacity of support services personnel to increase families' understanding of trauma & grief so the children’s needs are understood & can be addressed with services 4. Expand access to direct service grief-related support groups/workshops to students/ families EBAC will train and support key HUSD support staff to implement mental-health supports for teachers at most schools and to make referrals to grief and other services for families. EBAC will provide technical assistance/training/facilitation to help HUSD build an internal infrastructure to achieve the goals. HUSD staff will participate in EBAC trainings such as How Grief Affects Childhood Development, Trauma Informed & Resilient Classrooms, Wellness Strategies to Prevent Vicarious Trauma. The project creatively utilizes district staff rather than behavioral health clinicians due to the national mental health clinicians shortage. School staff will be trained to help teachers identify & respond to mental health struggles. The project will increase awareness of and referrals to existing EPSDT/ mental health services available for students on school sites and community and school-based grief services for families, children and staff.

Project Abstract: Mental Health Program for First Responders Physical and emotional exhaustion from repeated exposure to distressing situations, violence, trauma, and death can have a detrimental impact on first responder mental health. The Texas A&M Engineering Extension Service (TEEX) Wellness and Counseling Center will serve as a training hub for developing culturally competent, trauma-informed, first responder mental health peer support personnel while also providing mental health treatment services by a licensed mental health counselor to responders in need. While practitioners, administrators, politicians, and researchers all agree that there is a first responder mental health crisis, barriers stand in the way of addressing the issue (e.g. a lack of understanding, cultural resistance, administrative ambivalence, and lack of funding). Despite the barriers, most agencies recognize there is a problem and are scrambling for solutions. The primary goal of this project is to deploy a mental health peer-support program. TEEX can leverage its existing cadre of first responder personnel from law enforcement, fire service, paramedic and other emergency medical services, dispatchers, and forensic professionals throughout the State of Texas to select and train 96 personnel on the principles of culturally competent, trauma-informed, peer-support care. These individuals will then be able to support mental health needs via face-to-face peer support networks and initiatives in their respective communities. The secondary and supporting goal of this project is to offer technical assistance to the broader first responder community via policy and peer-support program development initiatives in six jurisdictions throughout the State. The assistance provided to each agency would be unique and customized to the current and forecasted mental health program needs for their personnel. The solutions may encompass a custom comprehensive program to refinement of a specific aspect of an existing program. TEEX can also train the agency’s staff on a variety of topics in support of their unique program. As part of these efforts, TEEX may also be called to serve as a Critical Incident Stress Management (CISM) Team, responding to catastrophic events to render services. The third and final supporting goal of this project is to provide mental health treatment services via a licensed mental health counselor to at least 50 first responders who face mental health issues. Treatment services will utilize evidence-based practices of eye movement desensitization and reprocessing (EMDR) therapy, cognitive processing therapy, and neurofeedback to improve their overall mental health and well-being.

The Centre for Women is a well-recognized and respected organization in the community, providing care to those in need for more than forty-five years. The Centre’s Counseling and Wellness Program addresses the increasing need for mental health services by providing mental wellness counseling for low to moderate income individuals and families in the Tampa Bay community. Local service agency partners have relied on The Centre’s counseling program for decades. These services are particularly important during the current time; the recent COVID-19 pandemic has helped raise awareness of the importance of mental health and the community’s acceptance of mental health treatment. We serve a specific niche of people in that they do not require hospitalization or intensive psychiatric care; however, they face challenges in managing major life stressors and transitions. Professional support helps to offset and prevent crisis, hospitalization, suicide, and community violence. Upon receipt of the SAMHSA grant award, we will expand our capacity for delivering mental wellness counseling to the most at-risk and underserved members of our community. We will transform a well-located property in Seminole Heights into a counseling center. Simultaneously, we will help to grow the field of behavioral health care workers by providing an excellent learning environment to local clinical student interns. This is an effort to provide a solution for the shortage of behavioral health care workers in our geographic area. We will continue to expand our collaborative relationships with local colleges and universities by hosting interns from clinical programs as well as employ licensed eligible clinical interns. Students will be trained, supervised and mentored as we welcome the next wave of mental health counselors and social workers. As we broaden our impact, our agency will continue to aim for equity of access to mental health services. We welcome diverse populations that are representative of our entire community; accordingly, we have Spanish speaking counselor(s) to serve the large Spanish-speaking population segment. Also, our capability to provide in person and virtual services so that everyone has access regardless of geographic location or level of mobility. Through the provision of free counseling to residents who are un/under insured and could not otherwise afford needed services, and through the delivery of educational programs targeted on social emotional learning, we will deliver an “upstream” approach to improve the quality of life for individuals, families and communities resulting in an increase in academic, employment, relationship, and life successes.

The Andrus Health Equity Access Fund was created to support underinsured and uninsured families in Westchester County. The Fund removes the single largest impediment children and families in poor communities have to receiving services--the lack of adequate health insurance--and allows us to have an immediate impact on these clients. Andrus is committed to equitably providing The Fund to uninsured and underinsured youth and their families across Congressional district NY-16. Providing relief from trauma are comprehensive services paid for by The Fund, they include: mental health intervention, psychosocial, and clinical services; prenatal and early childhood health and development programs; care coordination, social engagement, family preservation, afterschool recreational therapy services, respite and other support services. In addition, Andrus has relationships with more than 75 government and non-profit organizations in Westchester County, so that where Andrus does not provide a service, it maintains a solid network of agencies that provide support to our clients, effectively wrapping our clients and their families in protective and productive services to improve the upward trajectory of their lives.

The project will support a two year training fellowship program for ten pre licensed, master's trained therapists. The project goal is to increase access to pediatric mental and behavioral health services for Delaware children and youth with a focus on increasing workforce diversity and better meeting the needs of underserved communities. Our project will recruit minoritized trainees, with a goal of including twenty percent Spanish speaking therapists. All selected therapists will receive training in evidence-based screening, prevention and treatment, developmental disabilities, integrated primary care and school-based healthcare and acute risk assessment and crisis management. They will provide clinical care supervised by licensed mental health providers that will supply the hours required to obtain independent licensure. SAMHSA CDS funds will support Year 1. Nemours Children's will support Year 2. Project Name: Improving Access to Mental and Behavioral Health Services for Delaware's Children and Youth Population to be Served. The project will train and employ ten master's level therapists to address the need for mental and behavioral health services among Delaware's children and youth. Focus will be on trainees from minoritized backgrounds, with a goal of including 20% Spanish speaking. The patients served will be primarily from New Castle County, Delaware where 15.6% of households speak a language other than English at home and 45% of the residents are non-white. Both indicate a need for bilingual clinicians and clinicians of color, representative of and responsive to the diverse needs of Delawareans. Strategies and Interventions: Tis project will increase and diversify Delaware's pediatric behavioral health workforce; provide highly specialized, evidence based training and supervision for master's level therapists; meet the need for pediatric mental and behavioral health services in Delaware; support increased diversity in Delaware's pediatric behavioral health workforce, including increasing access to bilingual providers and culturally humble and relevant care. Project Goals and Objectives: Goal 1: Increase the number of licensed behavioral health providers across the continuum of behavioral health trained to work with children and youth. Goal 2: Increase access to providers competent to offer evidence-based, trauma informed, culturally relevant care for children and youth. Goal 3: Increase collaborative communication among trainees and community behavioral health providers about behavioral health resources for children, youth and families. Goal 4: Increase number of providers with competency for suicide assessment and management. Goal 5: Increase knowledge of symptoms, screening processes, and effective supports for Autistic youth. Goal 6: Improve successful completion of licensure exam-75% of trainees will pass on first try. Goal 7: Improve cultural humility of behavioral health providers. Goal 8: Increase those trained in school based behavioral health. Number of people to be served: We will provide didactic experiential training and clinical supervision for 10 pre licensed, master's level therapists; we will offer 6 community trainings to 3 community agencies who employ or with Spanish speaking or minoritized children and youth, allowing us to provide training to an additional 10 community therapists.

The Welcome Project PA (WPPA), will redesign and expand the following Mental Health programs for LGBT+ populations; the Therapy Program; Support Groups; the Youth Program; the Diversity Equity, Inclusion, Acceptance and Belonging (DEIAB) Competency Training; and the Healthcare Best Practices Program for transgender, nonbinary, and intersex patients. WPPA’s mental health therapy program uses evidence-based practices including the integration of best available evidence, clinical expertise, and patient values. WPPA will adopt a low cost/no cost model, providing affordable, and accessible mental health therapy services for members of the LGBT+ communities, thereby increasing WPPA’s caseload by 25+ new clients by the end of the year. WPPA’s mental health therapy program will consist of two licensed and three pre-licensed, LGBT+ knowledgeable and trauma-informed therapists, who appreciate the experiences of the communities they serve. WPPA will provide mental health therapeutic services in-person and via a HIPAA compliant Telehealth platform as permitted by regulation. WPPA’s support groups will redesign and implement therapist-led support groups to best serve the community needs. All support groups continue to be free of charge provide community, reduce isolation, and aid in the prevention of suicide. WPPA’s Youth Program will serves teens, ages thirteen through fifteen, who identify as LGBT+, by providing community and support. The program will help LGBT+ youth build resilience to challenge negative thinking, build optimism, and understand the importance of connection. This group promotes understanding and respect for all through education, support, advocacy, creative expression, and friendship. Meetings are in person and will be facilitated by a therapist and supported by an intern and volunteers. Staff-Led DEIAB Competency Training offerings such as LGBT+ Inclusion and Competency 101, 102, and Allyship will be offered to schools, organizations, and faith communities. WPPA will expand its Healthcare Best Practices Program for Transgender, Nonbinary, and Intersex Patients. Led by WPPA staff and a LGBT+ cohort, this initiative will work with doctors within local healthcare systems. Four new Medical Symposiums: one for doctors, and one for first, second, and third year medical students, will assist doctors and medical students in providing gender affirming care to patients.

Mental health effects on children after the pandemic remain unknown; it is important to have systems in place to support children. We are this resource for kids so we can provide them with the support to help them be emotionally healthy and successful in school. We complete a universal mental health screening in underserved districts to assist parents, school personnel, school social workers, teachers, behavioral health providers, and the students understand their need for support. 5th graders are interviewed by a physician, social worker, and screener confidentially using a modified Kaiser survey. If the student scores above a level, the student is considered as having imminent needs. All data is confidentially stored in Salesforce for evaluation purposes and analysis. My HealthFirst 5th grade school-based Universal Mental Health and Wellness Screening is providing an effective, Whole Student Prevention Care model which is aligned with Federal, State, and local Prevention initiatives, mandates, and funding. For youth that show borderline concern, our staff call the parents and survey the parents with the PSC 35 Survey. For those that score high enough concern for their children and agree to further support, those kids receive a Medically Necessary Referral to contracted Behavioral Health. For those not in this category but parents are concerned, these youth with support from our staff, go through support options, ex. Preventive Early Intervention. We stay with the youth until all care is completed by the provider.

The Arc of the Central Chesapeake Region, a 501c3 located in Maryland, is working to advance trauma-informed care to people with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD). The project, Scaling Mental Health Access for People with Disabilities will bring much needed behavioral health services to the community and demonstrate scale viability of similar projects. People with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD) are severely under-served in the mental health community. While there is a significant shortage of mental health clinicians throughout the state of Maryland, it is even more significant for people with IDD. They are turned away from community providers because clinicians do not feel capable or comfortable providing therapy to people with IDD and because providers do not have the capacity to support them. The only support available to them is behavioral support, which uses the Applied Behavioral Analysis (ABA) model. ABA only addresses specific behaviors; it ignores people's life experiences, and the role each person's history and circumstances play in emotional responses. Already service more than 3,000 people with disabilities and their families annuals, The Arc Central Chesapeake Region (The Arc) is changing the landscape regarding what mental health resources are offered to people with IDD. In 2020, The Arc pivoted how they supported people with IDD and their mental health using licensed clinicians and moved to a model that incorporated individual and group therapies to provide mental health counseling through the lens of trauma-informed care. Because of the success from 2020-2022 and the significant positive outcomes generated to date, The Arc is prioritizing investment in the infrastructure needed for a robust Behavioral Health Program. The Arc's Behavioral Health takes an approach focusing not on managing specific behaviors but on the necessary mental health counseling and other related clinical supports that go along with it. The primary goal of this project is to increase access to quality mental health services for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities in Maryland by expanding its Behavioral Health program. The Arc aims to hire one Clinician per quarter, and two Behavioral Health Associates during the grant's performance period. The Arc will use the $250,000 in federal funding to hire four clinicians and two behavioral health associated between September 2023 and September 2024. Funds will cover the first three months or each position's salary. The positions will sustain themselves over time through a braided revenue model as clinicians build their caseload and bill for services. The Arc is among the few providers in the state of Maryland approved to bill Medicaid, Medicare, and private insurance; this means The Arc can support the mental health of people with IDD regardless of age or affiliation with any disability service provider, making this a community-wide resource accessible to anyone. With the additional team capacity, The Arc will be able to expand the number of people with IDD receiving counseling and behavioral health support for their unique mental health needs, with a goal of each Clinician servicing 33 people. Success in achieving intended outcomes will be measured by numbers served within the grant period.

The Metropolitan YMCA of the Oranges’ (Metro YMCA) project entitled Building Capacity for Positive Mental Health Outcomes will serve the seven branches of the association, which are: The Greater Bergen County YMCA, West Essex YMCA, East Orange YMCA, Sussex County YMCA, South Mountain YMCA, The Wayne YMCA, and Fairview Lake YMCA Camps. Through the implementation of this project, the Metro YMCA will hire and integrate three mental health professionals into the Metro YMCA’s programmatic planning and operations and serve assigned branches and/or communities through staff support, promotion of positive mental health, and early identification, intervention, and referral services for constituents experiencing mental health challenges. These professionals will be assimilated into the Metro YMCA’s programmatic planning and operations and serve assigned branches and/or communities through staff support, promotion of positive mental health, and early identification, intervention, and referral services for constituents experiencing mental health challenges. These professionals will work to integrate mental health and behavioral wellness into pre-existing programs, like pre-school and school age childcare, and free community programming, as well as create new programs that serve both youth and adults in groups. Under the direction of the Metro YMCA Director of Mental Health, the newly hired mental health professionals will also provide staff guidance on adaptable framework to support crisis services and suicide prevention activities, including awareness activities, screening, and referral to direct service treatments, when appropriate. In addition to these activities, the mental health team will create and deliver education materials and imperative training on Mental Health First Aid, diagnostic tools, and support mechanisms, and escalation pathways. The goals and objectives of this project are to: Increase organizational capacity to address the mental health needs of our staff, youth and adult members, and communities served; improve behavioral functioning of youth participants; and improve mental and emotional wellness of adult participants. The measurable objectives of this project include: hiring three mental health professionals; increase staff awareness of mental health education, early intervention tactics, de-escalation pathways, and referrals to appropriate parties through Mental Health First Aid Trainings and Mental Health and Wellbeing Certifications; integrate Social-Emotional Learning (SEL) into all pre-school and school age child care programs; implement social and emotional health enrichment programming for youth and adults across the association; and collect and analyze impact through program participant and staff assessments. Through this program, approximately 125 staff members will receive mental health education/training, 1,600 children will have SEL programming integrated into their childcare programs, 72 children will participate in SEL enrichment programming, and 30 adults will participate in mental health and social wellness programming across the association. The Metro YMCA plans to train all staff members past this project period and anticipates sustaining the above participation numbers year over year.

Boys & Girls Clubs of Delaware (BGCDE) seeks to build staff capacity in the area of trauma informed care and social emotional learning to support our ongoing paradigm shift into becoming a trauma-informed organization at all 40 locations across Delaware. This program will allow us to support our high-needs youth in dealing with many Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACES). We address this by providing extensive staff training in trauma informed care and social emotional learning, offer mental health-related services to our youth through individual and small group sessions, and support for our staff in using trauma informed approaches and evidence-based social emotional learning curriculum called Navigate Suite 360. BGCDE has created the Youth Support Services Program to offer a three-tiered approach to mental wellness and social emotional learning. We selected six additional Club locations, two in each county, to expand our current SEL pilot program. The youth at these locations are from high needs communities, many of which lack the resources for additional mental health supports. Our approach includes implementing an evidence-based, SEL curriculum to all members at the six locations. This Tier 1 intervention will allow approximately 400 members across all nine Clubs to receive this programming. Along with this work, we are offering group and individual sessions to our youth with greater needs as part of our Tier 2 and 3 interventions. Along with the interventions provided to our members, the Youth Support Services Program also serves to build the capacity of our program staff by offering trainings in trauma-informed approaches and SEL frameworks. Trainings will begin with the staff at each selected Club and will continue to the remaining Clubs throughout the project. By the end of 2024, 75% of BGCDE staff will be trained in these interventions.

Boys & Girls Clubs of the Valley (BGCAZ) will implement the Whole Child Approach (WCA) Program, an intervention to alleviate the social and emotional stress among children and youth as a direct result of the COVID-19 pandemic in our 12 club branches in Congressional District 3, serving more than 1,000 children and youth (ages 5-17). The WCA Program will provide an emphasis on children and youth who may be experiencing social/emotional stressors or require support for mental, behavioral, or physical health issues. This includes low-income, under-represented races and ethnicities, and students at risk for involvement in the juvenile justice system, and/or students with an incarcerated parent. It will promote recovery by introducing and teaching developmental skills that reinforce success in school, work, and life, using evidence-based Social Emotional Learning (SEL) curricula. The program model includes trauma-informed approaches and age-specific therapeutic activities that support life skills, academic achievement, communication, and other interpersonal skills. Children will have the opportunity to engage with caring adults, interact with peers, and play age-appropriate games while learning more about themselves and how they interact with others and the world around them. Mental health assessments and evidence-based approaches will be incorporated into group activities that include trauma-informed care (TIC), Motivational Interviewing (MI), Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Dialectical Behavioral Therapy (DBT), and the MATRIX model for potential substance use issues. This collaborative approach, led by BGCAZ, will work to fill the serious mental health service delivery gaps prevalent in Arizona, such as the lack of access to behavioral health support and clinical treatment. To address these challenges, BGCAZ will subcontract with Terros Health, Inc., a non-profit healthcare company focused on the whole person, to provide integrated primary care and specialized mental health and substance use treatment for children and families. This is a streamlined effort to address the complexities around provider shortages in serving the thousands of Arizona children and youth BGCAZ helps.

Phila CeaseFire, a community-based violence prevention program and Cure Violence Global duplication site based at the Katz School of Medicine at Temple University, launched in 2020 the Philly HUB which brings social service and law enforcement agencies together in an effort to work collaboratively as well as respond and support individuals, families and communities in crisis. In an effort to address the notable behavioral health needs of both clients and communities, Phila. CeaseFire is seeking $750k in Community Project Funding under the oversight of SAMHSA to expand its efforts in Northwest Phila to include mental health and crisis assistance to individuals that have been impacted by crime through a new mobile 24hr Neighborhood Trauma Response Team. The new team will utilize Ceasefire's 33 ft Winnebago and offer prevention, intervention and behavioral health services designed to reduce shootings and killings while working with HUB agencies to provide prompt support services to individuals, families and communities that have a myriad of needs.

The New Orleans Health Department (NOHD), in the committed interest to create and preserve healthy and vibrant communities, has partnered with Resources for Human Development (RHD) Inc., a non-profit organization, to develop and launch a Community Crisis Diversion (CCD) program integrated within the City of New Orleans’ local 9-1-1 emergency response dispatch system. This CCD program, duly named the New Orleans Mobile Crisis Intervention Unit (MCIU) is tasked to divert 9-1-1 non-violent mental health crisis calls away from police and other first responders to professionals trained in community behavioral crisis care response: 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, and 365 days a year. The MCIU will exclusively serve Orleans Parish which is contiguous with the City of New Orleans. The population of focus for this intervention is any person, regardless of age, who has notified the 9-1-1 system that they, or someone they are witnessing, is experiencing a mental health crisis and is not exhibiting violent behavior, does not indicate to have any weapons present, and is not in the act of severely harming themselves. Data from April of 2018 through June of 2021 provided by the Orleans Parish Communication Department (OPCD / “9-1-1 call center”) indicated that about 2920 calls per year or about 8 calls per day could have been diverted to the New Orleans MCIU teams. Further, New Orleans Police Department (NOPD) - behavioral Crisis Intervention Team (CIT) 2022 data shows, NOPD responded to a population that was 72% Black, 23% White, 2% Hispanic, and 1% Asian. This population was 61% male, 37% female, and 2% were categorized as other. Additionally, 28% were between the ages of 30-39; 20% were between the ages 20-29; 16% were between the ages of 40-49; 13% were between the ages of 10-19; 12% were between the ages of 50-59; and about 12% were 60 or older. According to US Census 2020 data, the City of New Orleans has an estimated population of 383,997. Further 2020 Census demographics indicated that the City of New Orleans is about 58% Black, 33% White, and 9% other with 24.8% living below the poverty line. MCIU teams will be referred and dispatched by OPCD 9-1-1 call takers, to respond, stabilize, and resolve immediate behavioral crises either by phone and/or face-to-face by identifiable, wheelchair accessible vans available for consumer transport to an appropriate care-level location if needed. Responding units are made up of at least 1 mental healthcare licensed professional and 1 certified crisis intervention team member. MCIU will run 2 units for day and evening shift work and 1 unit responding overnight. The goals and measurable objectives of the MCIU is two-fold; 1) MCIU will improve the immediate mental wellbeing of community members who call 9-1-1 for mental health crises by receiving and diverting 2900 to 3000 9-1-1 non-violent and non-hazardous mental health calls away from law enforcement and to trained mental health professionals through the MCUI initiative within its first year of operations; 2) The MCIU initiative aims to decrease the overuse of hospital emergency departments by at least 20% in resolving mental health crises by utilizing other community-based supports when clinically appropriate. Should NOHD receive this grant opportunity, funding will be used to support 5 MCIU crisis workers, purchase supplies, and support staff training. Funding this program will greatly increase the capacity and enhance capabilities of this project to effectively change and improve the quality of care in mental health treatment. Subsequently, This CCD project will further help to relieve the burden on police by dealing with poorly understood mental behaviors and underlining causal factors that police expertise is not designed to optimize and treat in practice.

This project will support the expansion of mental health services with a focus on the refugee and immigrant population in the community, including recent Afghan and Ukrainian refugees who may be experiencing anxiety, depression, and difficulties adjusting. It will support the MCHC behavioral health clinic to provide mental health services for populations of ages from children to geriatrics, as well as marital counseling, suicide prevention, PTSD, alcohol/drug/and substance abuse, domestic violence, trauma, grief, and addiction counseling. MCHC offers primary care in multiple languages and has providers from several different ethnic backgrounds.