$2.6M in grants to help address behavioral health needs
PROVIDENCE — Six non-profit organizations that provide behavioral-health services to a wide range of children and adults will benefit from a total of $2.6 million in grants from the Rhode Island Foundation. The grants are aimed at prevention efforts, which, when successful, can head off possible problems later.
“These grants will address behavioral health needs before people are in crisis,” foundation president and CEO Neil D. Steinberg said in a media release. “This work will lead to better outcomes across the board while targeting communities that are disproportionately impacted by behavioral health issues.”
The six grants are the maiden awards from the foundation’s Behavioral Health Fund, established last year by the Office of the Health Insurance Commissioner. Blue Cross & Blue Shield of Rhode Island committed $5 million in funding.
“The organizations and projects we are funding today are truly impressive,” said Blue Cross & Blue Shield president and CEO Kim Keck. “With innovative approaches and use of emerging best practices, we are confident they can achieve long-term, sustainable outcomes. I look forward to seeing great progress in the next few years.”
The beneficiaries:
— The Rhode Island Association for Infant Mental Health, awarded $599,113 for specialized training. “Our chance for positive outcomes for babies and families is strengthened when we commit to adequate training and support for our workforce,” said Susan Dickstein, the organization’s president.
— Clinica Esperanza in Providence, $300,000 for its Vida Pura program, “which will provide care to low-income, uninsured Hispanic immigrants with unmet behavioral needs,” according to the release.
“It is well known that stress associated with political and gang violence is causing people living in South and Central America to flee their homes and migrate to the United States,” said medical director Dr. Annie De Groot. “The process of immigration increases that mental stress and, in the case of women who are subjected to sexual violence on the border, may even compound the stress many times over.”
— The Center for Evidence Based Practice at Bradley Hospital, $291,072 “to partner with the Village for Rhode Island Foster and Adoptive Families and the Institute on Stress, Trauma and Resilience at Brown University,” according to the release.
— Care Transformation Collaborative of Rhode Island and PCMH Kids, $450,000 “to test implementing a comprehensive Integrated Behavioral Health service delivery program at eight pediatric primary care sites to increase the identification and treatment of behavioral health conditions before people are in crisis.”
— The Coventry Public School District, $440,356 “to train educators, support staff, health workers, first responders and others who work directly with youth to identify early mental health needs.”
— Rhode Island College, $599,641 “to develop and deliver evidenced-based screening and treatment services for Rhode Island’s most vulnerable and underserved populations using a fully integrated medical and behavioral health model of service delivery,” said the release.
“This project will deepen existing relationships between the Rhode Island College School of Social Work and two primary care leaders: Thundermist Health Center and the Rhode Island Free Clinic,” said Jayashree Nimmagadda, project director and interim dean of RIC’s School of Social Work.