Project ReCAST

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ReCAST: Resiliency in Communities After Stress and Trauma

  • The purpose of this program is to assist high-risk youth and families and promote resilience and equity in communities that have recently faced civil unrest through implementation of evidence-based violence prevention, and community youth engagement programs, as well as linkages to trauma-informed behavioral health services.

    The goals of ReCAST include:

    • Building a foundation to promote well-being, resiliency, and community healing through community-based participatory approaches
    • Strengthening the integration of behavioral health services and other community systems to address the social determinants of health
    • Creating more equitable access to trauma informed community behavioral health resources
    • Ensuring that program services are culturally specific and developmentally appropriate

    Successes of ReCAST 2016-2022

    • Trained 16,735 members of the mental health workforce
    • 90,123 community stakeholders trained in trauma-informed approaches, including violence prevention, and mental health literacy
    • 77,235 youth, young adults, and family members provided with high-quality trauma-informed mental health services
    • 8,623 new partnerships established among city and community agencies to support high-risk youth and their families

    Current and Future Grantees

    In the wake of several high-profile incidents of civil unrest, Congress appropriated funds to engage affected communities and to help high risk youth and families who have experienced trauma (FY16 Project AWARE funds).

  • Baltimore City, MD
  • Chicago, IL
  • Minneapolis, MN
  • St. Louis County, MO
  • Oakland, CA – Refunded in FY 21
  • Bexar County (San Antonio), TX- Refunded in FY 21
  • Flint, MI- Refunded in FY 21
  • Milwaukee, WI- Refunded in FY 21

View 2016 Grant Awards

  • Baton Rouge, LA
  • Dallas, TX

View 2017 Grant Awards

  • Louisville, KY
  • Mecklenburg County (Charlotte), NC

View 2018 Grant Awards

  • Philadelphia, PA
  • Denver, CO
  • Lawrenceville, GA
  • Jacksonville, FL
  • Alleghany County (Pittsburgh), PA
  • Oakland, CA
  • Bexar County (San Antonio), TX
  • Flint, MI
  • Milwaukee, WI

View 2021 Grant Awards

  • Fairfield, CA
  • Los Angeles, CA
  • Miami, FL
  • Jacksonville, FL
  • New Orleans, LA
  • Bangor, ME
  • Charlotte, NC
  • Santa Fe, NM
  • Albuquerque, NM
  • Cleveland Heights, OH

View 2022 Grant Awards

  • group of young adults

    Lessons Learned

    • The importance of the participatory approach
    • Building trust and relationships in the community
    • Collaboration and partnership in community (community advisory boards)
    • Addressing trauma (for community members and workforce)
    • Culturally relevant programs and services
    • “Nothing about us without us”
  • mother walking with daughter

    Challenges

    • Workforce burnout
    • On-going challenges in community
    • COVID
    • On-going civil unrest
    • Increase in community violence
    • Bureaucracy – barrier to get the money out the door
    • Takes time to build trust
  • Program Staff
    Jennifer Treger, M.S. / Public Health Advisor
    Jennifer Winston, M.P.H., CPH / Public Health Advisor
    Nancy Kelly, M.S.Ed., Branch Chief, Mental Health Promotion Branch
    Captain Maryann Robinson as Acting Division Director

Last Updated

Last Updated: 03/21/2023